KUALA LUMPUR: The national squad has the potential to create upsets at the World Junior Badminton Championships in Nanchang, China, from Sept 30 to Oct 13, according to junior head coach Jeffer Rosobin.
Jeffer's optimism stems from the national squad's recent success at the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, last July.
He said the team is currently undergoing intensive training to ensure peak performance at the world meet.
"At the Asian Junior meet our players secured medals for the first time in six years. We won silver in men's doubles and three bronzes, in women's doubles and singles, and team events.
"This success opens up opportunities for our players at the World Junior Championships. We hope to make the most of the remaining time to prepare them in top shape for the competition," the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) coach told reporters recently.
Malaysia's best achievement at the World Junior Championships was in 2011 when they won three gold medals, in the mixed team, men's singles and men's doubles.
The last time Malaysia won medals at the championships was in 2018, with Goh Jin Wei clinching the women's singles title.
Regarding Malaysia's prospects in the mixed team event, Jeffer noted that the new competition format benefits Malaysian players due to their fast, attacking style of play.
"This tournament will feature a new format of 11 points and 10 matches. We believe our chances are strong because our players play a fast, attacking game," he said.
Under the new 'team relay format', each tie consists of 10 matches with the first ending after 11 points, and the first team to reach 110 points wins the tie.
The 10 matches are two men's singles, two women's singles, two men's doubles, two women's doubles and two mixed doubles.