Squash: Eain Yow To Be Flag Bearer For Malaysia In Nanjing

Confident: Ng Eain Yow has set his sights on winning the gold medal in the individual event at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing from Aug 17-24.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two-time British Junior Squash Open champion Ng Eain Yow has been given the honour of being the flag bearer for Malaysia at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing from Aug 17-24.

The Form Three student of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), who won the British Junior Open Under-13 title in 2011 and the Under-15 title in January, has also set his sights on winning the gold medal in the individual event at the Games.

The youngster had also won the Asian Junior title twice – the Under-15 category in Iran last year and the Under-17 event in Jordan in June.

Eain Yow, seeded joint third-fourth with Hong Kong’s Yuen Tsun Hei in Nanjing, is delighted to have been picked to be the flag bearer for Malaysia in the Under-17 Games.

“Being chosen to be the flag bearer is a boost for the game of squash. It will also boost my confidence as I fight for the gold medal at the Games,” said Eain Yow, who is last year’s national Under-16 champion.

He also hailed this year as the best for him, having won the British Junior Open Under-15 title and the Under-17 title in the Asian Junior.

“Although I’m seeded joint third-fourth for the individual event for the Asian Youth Games, I’m in top form – mentally and physically – to win the singles title,” he said.

“We’re also eyeing the team title as we have good players like Mohd Syafiq (Kamal) and Darren Chan.”

Syafiq, who lost to Eain Yow in the Under-17 final of the Asian Junior meet in Jordan, is the second seed while India’s Kush Kumar is the top seed.

Malaysia’s S. Vanessa Raj has been given the top billing in the girls’ individual event. Hong Kong’s Pansy Pui Hei is the second seed while Rachel Arnold, also of Malaysia, is seeded joint third-fourth. The other Malaysian player – Celine Yeap – will feature in the team event.

The individual event will begin on Aug 17 and the team event on Aug 20.

Twelve teams will feature in the boys’ category, where Malaysia are seeded second behind India.

Seven teams have confirmed their participation in the girls’ category, with Malaysia being the top seeds and Hong Kong second.

Squash was not included in the inaugural Asian Youth Games in Singapore in 2009.

Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) director of coaching Allan Soyza said they are targeting a clean sweep of all the gold medals in squash.

“We have good sets of players in the boys’ and girls’ categories ... we’re confident of dominating the squash event,” said Allan.

The other sports at the Games are athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, fencing, golf, judo, shooting, table tennis and weightlifting.