Sarawak badminton doubles pair Genevie, Wafa to represent Malaysia in Europe

KUCHING (Jan 29): Sarawak women’s badminton doubles pair Genevie Lim Tsin Yen and Wafa Shahmina Rahman have received a major boost in their promising careers after being selected by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to represent the country in two upcoming international junior tournaments in Europe.

The duo, who recently finished as runners-up at the Petronas National Under-21 Badminton Championships in Ipoh, Perak, have been named to compete in the Yonex Dutch Junior International from Feb 25 to March 1 in the Netherlands followed by the Yonex German Junior from March 4 to 8.

They will feature in both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles events, with all expenses fully sponsored by BAM.

As part of their preparations, Genevie and Wafa are required to report to the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) on Feb 15 for centralised training ahead of their departure to Europe.

Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) president Dato Sri Wan Lizozman Wan Omar congratulated the pair on their achievement, describing their rapid progress as a positive sign for the future of badminton in Sarawak.

“Their tremendous development in the game is encouraging and will motivate other Sarawak players to follow in their footsteps. It also reflects their potential to go further, and I hope they will be able to further hone their skills through more systematic and professional training under BAM,” he told The Borneo Post.

He added that the Sarawak pair’s exposure via in international tournaments would be invaluable in shaping them into better players.

The SBA, he stressed, would continue to extend full support to help them reach their full potential with the hope that they will represent Malaysia at the senior level in the near future.

Meanwhile, SBA secretary Datuk Dr Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad saw the national call-up not only as a milestone for the players but also for Sarawak badminton as a whole.

“I am extremely proud that Genevie and Wafa have earned the opportunity to represent Malaysia on the international stage. Their selection shows that Sarawak talent can rise to the national level and compete with distinction,” he said.

He believes that their exploits can serve as an inspiration to the wider badminton community at the state level.