KUCHING: After ruling the state courts, 15-year-old Athan Yang Zhi Yung now faces the nation’s best at the MSSM Badminton Championship in Perak from September 12 to 18.
Representing Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 and training under JPro Badminton Academy Kuching, Athan stole the spotlight at the recent Sarawak State-level MSS Badminton Championship by capturing both the boys’ singles and doubles titles.
“It feels amazing to win two events. But the next step is harder – MSSM in Perak will be a big test,” Athan told Sarawak Tribune after training recently.
The teenager has been playing badminton since the age of nine and currently trains five days a week.
Before joining JPro, he honed his skills with the Sarawak Badminton Association, but training at JPro has been an important step in his development.
He credits his improvement to consistent training and guidance from his coaches, particularly Rajeev Bijoy, Jordan Tang, and Kong Chee Kiet.
“I want to thank all my coaches for pushing me,” he said.
Despite his disciplined routine on court, Athan admits he is less strict about diet or recovery.
“I just eat anything. Outside badminton, I enjoy gaming, swimming, and movies,” he added.
When asked about his expectations for Perak, the 15-year-old kept his goals realistic.
“Maybe I can reach the semi-finals. That would already be very lucky for me. If I can challenge the top players, that will be a big achievement,” he said.
Looking ahead, the 172-cm shuttler hopes to keep improving and one day represent Sarawak – and Malaysia – at higher levels of competition.
For now, his focus is squarely on Perak, where he is eager to test himself against the best young shuttlers from across the nation.
