TERENGGANU FC LOSE KEEPER RAHADIAZLI FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON
‘MY OWN JOURNEY’ – ZII JIA
KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 – National No. 1 Lee Zii Jia is not getting carried away with his recent All-England men’s singles title that has become the talk of the badminton world after he blew away the top two ranked players along the way.
Instead, the 22-year-old who will celebrate his 23rd birthday on Monday, is preparing for a journey that will teach him of the ”ups and downs” that he has to endure in his badminton career.
It is just the beginning and this year alone he has gone through the lows and highs – getting flak for his disappointing outing in Bangkok (Yonex Thailand Open, Toyota Thailand Open and the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals before surprising everyone with the All England title in Birmingham last week. A week earlier he reached the semi-finals in the Yonex Swiss Open in Basel.
”I am no successor to (Datuk Lee) Chong Wei. He is a legend. For me my journey has begun and I have to train hard and stay focused on my game. I will not be carried away just because I won the All England.
“Being humble is my way of looking forward to further improve my game. Yes. I beat Kento Momota (World No 1) and Viktor Axelsen (World No 2) in Birmingham. It gives me many positives impact in my game but as I said it’s a long journey to reach the top.
”Right now I wish to remain as Lee Zii Jia. I hope I will not be compared to Chong Wei. There is a wide gap between us,” said Zii Jia who will not be defending his SEA Games as the Badminton Association (BAM) has already decided to send the back-up players to the biennial games which be held in Hanoi this year.
For now Zii Jia is hell bent on writing his own story – beginning with the All England. Many have hailed Zii Jia as a medal prospect in the Tokyo Olympics and it will be another chapter in his story if he gets on the rostrum in the mega event.
ZII JIA MOVES UP TO NO.8 IN WORLD RANKING

AEON CREDIT PURPLE LEAGUE JUNIOR 2020 (ACPLJ 2020) IS BACK
KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 – Following the continuous reduction in the daily recorded cases of COVID-19, the AEON Credit Purple League Junior 2020 (ACPLJ 2020) will resume at end of this month for a period of 4 days from March 31st to April 3rd.
The tournament to be held in Kampar, Perak, which is under Recovery MCO phase will see the participation of approximately 400 players under the age of 18 from 40 clubs across the country.
The competition is divided into Under-18 men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles and Under-15 men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, culminating with a total of 10 events.
In addition to winning prize medals for each event’s runners-up and semi-finalists, the champions can also contribute three points to the club, two points for runners-up and one point for semi-finalists.
The club with the highest cumulative score will be the overall champion. If two or more teams end up with same points, the winner will be determined by the one having the highest number of winners.
If the number of winners is also the same for those teams, then the title champion will be determined by the highest number of winners from the semi-finals and subsequent games count.
In addition to prize money for runners-up, semi-finalists and the overall champion team, the Under-18 champions will also be recruited to participate in an intensive training course hosted by the BAM.
The AEON Credit Purple League Junior 2020 (ACPLJ 2020) was originally scheduled to be held in October and November last year in four regions – Kampar, Muar, Port Dickson and Puchong where each region is represented by 16 winners from Group A and B who will battle out for the championship title in the finals in Putrajaya.
Nevertheless, the suspension of all sporting activities in the country in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak at the end of last year meant that the ACPLJ 2020 had to be postponed indefinitely.
This time around, with the lockdown relaxed, the Malaysia Purple League is returning to complete the ACPLJ 2020 run.
As always, the organiser will strictly adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) set by the government, including isolation of players, measurement of temperature before entering the stadium, no contact with the outside world during the game, no spectators, regular disinfection every day and social distancing, in a bid to ensure that the welfare and well-being of all players, officials and staff personnel are prioritized.
“It’s not easy to get back into the game,” said Ho Khek Mong, Chief Operating Officer of Purple League.
“Since last year’s tournament in Port Dickson, we have postponed the competition several times before we can now resume, five months apart. In order to avoid the postponement of the tournament again due to outbreak, we had to change the game system. Since the pandemic situation has improved, it is better to complete this league quickly than playing the wait-and-see game.”
“I hope the younger generation of players will cherish this rare opportunity to play and prove themselves, and I hope the audience too, will give us their support. Please remember to follow our official Youtube channel.”
The annual Purple League Junior (PLJ) Competition has entered its sixth year. Its purpose is to search for new young talents and provide a platform for promising youth to showcase their talent, gain competitive experience, and build confidence in badminton.
AEON Credit Service (M) Berhad has merged in as the main sponsor for the Purple League Junior for three years since 2019 as part of its corporate social responsibility in developing the local talents.
BEST OF THE BEST FOR CHENG HOE’S HARIMAU MALAYA

The Brazilian has the “finishing power” and Cheng Hoe knows what De Paula has in his game for the national team.

ZII JIA NEEDS TO KEEP HIS FEET ON THE GROUND
Momota, who went into the match with a 6-1 lead in seven previous meetings against the Malaysian, fell to a 16-21, 19-21 defeat. Axelsen went into the match with a 3-1 win-loss record against the Malaysian but it was all laid to rest with Zii Jia coming out tops with a 30-29, 20-22, 21-9 win for the biggest win in his badminton career which earned him his biggest paycheque (USD59,500)
Zii Jia you have something in your game that has left Momota and company in awe – your backhand smash. That is your weapon which others don’t have.

SARAWAK UNITED KEEP IT HOT AT THE TOP

PLENTY OF DRAMA IN IPOH AS PERAK SHARE POINTS WITH JDT
TUNEBOSS-PINK RACING TEAM ‘BUKAN ANAK BAHARU LAHIR KEMARIN SORE’
SEPANG, 21 Mac – Tuneboss-Pink Racing Team. Ini pendatang baharu dalam kejuaraan Cub Prix Malaysia musim ni.
Ia baharu ditubuhkan akhir tahun lalu dan pemiliknya merupakan seorang YouTuber wanita, Nur Atikah Azwar, 25 tahun atau lebih dikenali sebagai Rider Helmet Pink.
Dia dianggap wanita termuda pertama yang memiliki pasukan sendiri pada kejuaraan Cub Prix Malaysia dan tahun lalu beliau pernah bersaing dalam kategori Pro Am.
Menariknya, pasukan ini diwakili dua pelumba wanita dan seorang pelumba lelaki yang masing-masingnya bersaing dalam kategori CP125 dan Wira.
Siti Norafizah Mohamad, 26, berasal dari Johor, memikul cabaran beraksi dalam kelas CP125 bersama Md Harith Farhan Baharin dari Terengganu manakala Siti Norsyafiyah Alia Saarizan yang berasal dari Perak menggalas cabaran dalam kelas Wira.

Pada penampilan pertama di Cub Prix tahun ini, Tuneboss-Pink Racing tidak mengimpikan penyudah podium kerana mereka sedar dengan segala kekurangan yang ada pada pasukan.
Misi pertama mereka adalah untuk menimba pengalaman secukupnya dalam sukan dua roda berprestasi tinggi ini dan daripada situ, mereka akan menjadikannya sebagai strategi untuk merancang sesuatu yang lebih besar pada musim-musim akan datang.
Segalanya baharu – bermula daripada peringkat pengurusan kerana sebahagian besar kru pasukan merupakan muka baharu dalam Cub Prix. Lebih menarik, ketua mekanik juga merupakan tenaga muda yang mempunyai kepakaran tersendiri dalam aspek-aspek berkaitan motosikal.
Kelebihan mereka adalah keyakinan.
Minggu ini, pasukan tersebut melangkah ke gelanggang perlumbaan untuk memulakan kempen Pusingan 1 kejuaraan Cub Prix Malaysia di Litar Sepang Utara.
Siapa sangka, pasukan yang dianggap sebagai ‘anak yang baru lahir kemarin sore’ ini mencipta kejutan pada sesi kelayakan semalam.
Norafizah atau lebih popular dengan nama Fifi, muncul pelumba kedua terpantas dengan catatan masa 1:33.005 saat (s) ketinggalan beberapa saat di belakang pelumba OneXOX TKKR Racing Team, Md Hafiza Rofa.
Harith yang pertama kali menunggang jentera Yamaha sepanjang kariernya muncul pelumba ke-12 terpantas.
Hari ini pada perlumbaan akhir, dua pelumba Tuneboss-Pink Racing ini sekali lagi menampilkan aksi yang agak bertenaga, malah pada suatu ketika Fifi dilihat berjaya memimpin perlumbaan.
Ternyata, bersaing dengan barisan pelumba berpengalaman dalam kelas tersebut bukan halangan buat Fifi dan Harith kerana mereka masih mampu melontarkan cabaran sengit.
Kedua-duanya berjaya mengutip mata daripada perlumbaan akhir hari ini yang menyaksikan Fifi berjaya menduduki tempat kelima dengan catatan masa 11:11.040s manakala Harith menamatkan saingan di kedudukan kelapan dengan masa 11:11.372s.
Fifi pula memahat nama sebagai pelumba wanita terbaik dalam sejarah Cub Prix apabila berjaya menempatkan diri dalam kelompok lima terbaik.
Dia menjadi pelumba wanita pertama untuk berada di kedudukan lima terbaik dalam kelas CP125.
Perlumbaan tersebut dimenangi Md Syafiq Rosli dari pasukan PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Maju Motor manakalan dua pelumba Ipone Yamaha YY Pang Racing Team, Md Fareez Afeez Abd Rahman dan Md Adib Rosley masing-masingnya menduduki tempat kedua dan ketiga.
Dengan keputusan tersebut, Fifi kini berada di kedudukan kelima keseluruhan dengan mengutip 11 mata manakala Harith di kedudukan kelapan dengan meraih 8 mata kejuaraan. Tuneboss-Pink Racing pula bermegah menghuni kedudukan ketiga keseluruhan bagi kategori berpasukan dengan mengumpul 19 mata.
Alia yang menggalas cabaran dalam kategori Wira juga tidak kurang hebatnya dan dia mampu menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan ke-17 dengan catatan masa 10:44.527s.
Ia satu permulaan yang sangat positif buat pasukan baharu yang masih cetek pengalaman dalam sukan dua roda negara.
“Prestasi para pelumba pada kejuaraan pembuka tirai ini memang di luar jangkaan saya. Mereka telah menampilkan komitmen yang tinggi. Apa yang mereka buktikan pada Pusingan 1 ini telah melonjakkan semangat kami baik pelumba mahupun barisan mekanik untuk bekerja lebih keras lagi selepas ini.
“Kejayaan meraih mata pada aksi Pusingan 1 ini dianggap sebagai kejayaan luar biasa buat pasukan kami yang baharu membuat penampilan di Cub Prix musim ini. InsyaAllah, kami berharap momentum seperti ini dapat dipertahankan dalam misi untuk melakukan lebih banyak kejutan pada perlumbaan akan datang,” jelas pengurus pasukan, Nur Atikah.
Selepas ini, mereka akan sekali lagi kembali ke gelanggang untuk bersaing pada aksi Pusingan 2 yang dijadualkan berlangsung di Litar Sepang Utara pada 3-4 April nanti.





















