KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah’s Aqil Mirza Naim Khairil emerged as the nation’s top boys under-19 (U-19) squash player after clinching the title at the National Junior Championships 2026 in Jalan Duta Squash Centre, here, on Sunday.
After trailing by two games, Aqil Mirza displayed remarkable mental resilience to mount a superb comeback, defeating Sarawak’s Altamis Aqhar Sallam A Sufian 4-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 in a 56-minute final.
The victory marked a successful first attempt in the boys U-19 category for Aqil Mirza, who won the boys U-17 title last year.
The 17-year-old Aqil Mirza said the key to his victory was his decision to extend rallies and wear down his opponent.
“I tried to keep the rallies going longer and stay mentally strong so that he (Altamis) would get tired. Hopefully, I can win it again next year,” he told reporters after the final.
Meanwhile, Sarawakian Whitney Isabelle Wilson denied Negeri Sembilan’s Haneesha Veerakumar the chance to retain the girls’ U-19 title after sealing an 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 victory in 26 minutes.
Whitney, 17, said she was delighted to stun Haneesha and relieved that all the strategies she planned paid off. – BERNAMA
