THROUGH a quirk of fate, Penang retained the Petronas National Interstate Under-18 Mixed Team Championships 2025 title, edging Johor 4-3 in a nail-biting final at the Penang Badminton Hall in Bukit Dumbar yesterday.
The final was packed with drama. Penang stormed ahead with a 3-0 lead, only for Johor to claw back magnificently by winning the next three matches to level the tie 3-3.
It all came down to the decisive women’s doubles. Johor’s pair of Hasyni Devi Sahathevan and Dania Sofea Zaidi were leading 17-13 in the first game when tragedy struck — Dania twisted her knee and the pair were forced to retire, handing Penang the winning point and the championship crown.
The victory saw Penang take home the top prize of RM8,000, while Johor settled for the runner-up’s purse of RM4,000. It also marked Penang’s second consecutive triumph, after defeating Selangor in last year’s final in Melaka. This time, Selangor secured third place with a 4-1 win over Sabah, pocketing RM2,000, while Sabah earned RM1,000.
A day earlier, Penang booked their place in the final with a 4-0 whitewash of Sabah, while Johor edged Selangor 4-3 in a hard-fought semi-final.
Penang’s chief coach, Razlan Abdullah, expressed satisfaction with his team’s overall performance, especially with the mixed pair of Tan Zhi Yang–Nicole Tan Pei En and girls’ singles player Oo Shan Zi, both of whom remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.
“Credit to the team for showing their mettle. The final was no doubt tense, and a couple of players got jittery after we went 3-0 up. Still, the decisive tie was touch-and-go,” said Razlan.
“Most of these players are preparing for Sukma 2028, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them break into the squad for Sukma 2026.”
Even without their top shuttler Kong Wei Xiang, who missed the semi-finals and final due to national team duty in India, Penang made a flying start. Fresh from winning the PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge 2025, Zhi Yang and Nicole Tan delivered the opening point by edging Chiam Yi Zi–Low Zi Yu 21-19, 17-21, 21-18 in an intense 78-minute clash.
Shan Zi then doubled the lead with a straightforward 21-16, 21-9 victory over Hasyni in the girls’ singles, before Louis Lee Qi Jun, a recent Asian Junior Championships competitor, put Penang 3-0 up by outlasting Chen Jia Le 15-21, 21-9, 21-16.
Johor, however, refused to buckle.
Daniel Tan Ying Enn–Siau Yu Hang kept their team alive by beating Muhamad Adam Haris–Nixon Ang Jia Shen 21-16, 21-19 in the boys’ doubles. World Junior Championships player Low Zi Yu then trimmed the deficit with a 21-17, 21-10 win over Lim Zhi Shin in the girls’ singles, before Chiam Zi Yi levelled the tie 3-3 by beating Zhi Shen 25-23, 21-10 in the boys’ singles.
With the tension mounting and the crowd at fever pitch, the championship hinged on the women’s doubles. Just as Johor seemed to have the momentum, Dania Sofea’s unfortunate injury ended their fight, and Penang were crowned champions once more.
RESULTS
Final: Penang bt Johor 4-3 (Penang’s names first)
Mixed doubles: Tan Zhi Yang-Nicole Tan Pei En bt Chiam Zi Yi-Low Zi Yu 21-19, 17-21, 21-18.
Girls’ singles: Oo Shan Zi bt Hasyni Devi Sahathevan 21-16, 21-9.
Boys’ singles: Louis Lee Qi Jun bt Chen Jia Le 15-21, 21-19, 21-16.
Boys’ doubles: Muhamad Adam Haris-Nixon Ang Jia Shen lost to Daniel Tan Ying Enn-Siau Yu Hang 16-21, 19-21.
Girls’ singles: Lim Zhi Shi lost to Low Zi Yu 17-21, 10-21.
Boys’ singles: Tan Zhi Shen lost to Chiam Zi Yi 23-25, 10-21.
Girls’ doubles: Christine Lam Mei He-Nicole Chau Xuan bt Hasyni Devi Sahathevan-Dania Sofea Zaidi 13-17, rtd.
3rd/4th placings: Selangor bt Sabah 4-1 (Selangor’s names first)
Mixed doubles: Branson Hee Hek Fung-Sheyeon Wong E-Shwen lost to Datu Arif Datu Asraf-Saidatul Saadiah Muhammad 18-21, 23-21, 10-21.
Boys’ singles: Tiew Wei Jie bt Muhd Nur Azhar Zunaide 21-8, 18-21, 21-18.
Girls’ singles: Eng Ler Qi bt Jola Lim Zi Yu 21-16, 21-11.
Boys’ singles: Razeq Daniel Roslie bt Josua Aegidius 21-14, 21-13.
Girls’ singles: Chanice Tan Ying Xuan bt Chua Jing Xuan 21-7, 21-14.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix courtesy of Penang Badminton Association