Sarawak Badminton Association selects long list of shuttlers for 2026 Sukma

KUCHING (Feb 2): The Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) has concluded a selection tournament at the SBA Hall here on Sunday to identify potential players for Sarawak’s 2026 Malaysia Games (Sukma) campaign and to ensure transparency in the selection process.

“Those who reached the finals in all categories – women’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s singles and men’s doubles – are automatically included in our long list,” SBA secretary Datuk Dr Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad told The Borneo Post at the venue during the tournament.

The long list comprised 12 players each for the men’s and women’s squad. Eight men and eight women would eventually be shortlisted to represent Sarawak at Sukma.

“We need to submit the long list first. From there, we will decide on the shortlisted players who will form the final Sukma team. This is our practice before Sukma and other major tournaments, including national under-21, under-18 and under-16 events, to ensure we get the best players and to maintain transparency,” Wan Khalik explained.

“We also have the long list as backup in case anything happens to the shortlisted players,” he added.

He also expressed satisfaction with response to the selection tournament which was held over three days.

“We are very happy, especially with the men’s category because there was a very good response. We had more than 100 players, about 113 in total. I’m happy with the outcome,” he said.

In the finals held on Sunday, Janice Tchin Yao Xuan emerged champion in the women’s singles after defeating Brenda Jong Jing Hui 15-12, 16-14, while Chung Jia Ho claimed the men’s singles title with a 16-14, 15-5 win over Shawn Hiu.

The women’s doubles crown went to Genevie Lim Tsin Yeen and Wafa Shahmina Binti Rahman who beat Janice Tchin Yao Xuan and Tan Zhi Yi 16-14, 17-15.

Darrent Lim Lian Zhan and Dexter Ong Shang Zherk outlasted Brendan Liu Ee Haw and Leong Ming Kai 15-8, 10-15, 15-7 to secure the men’s doubles title.

The playoffs for third placing saw Wafa Shahmina beating Julia Yek Ping (women’s singles) and Jack Huong Jin Zhe overcoming Chong Yan Cheng (men’s singles). Finishing third were Lee Tong and Levia Kho En Qi (women’s doubles) and Chin Kang Neng and Ho Sin Hong (men’s doubles).