Future world-beaters

Shuttlers Liang Xiaoyu and Yeo Jia Min may not have won any medals at the Asian Youth Games (AYG) in Nanjing this year, but their coach is tipping them to be world-beaters in the future.

Jia Min, 14, lost to Malaysia's Ho Yen Mei in the quarter-finals while Xiaoyu, 17, lost in the Round of 16 to eventual winner, China's Qin Jinjing.

Jia Min was born and bred here to parents who are Malaysians but are Singapore permanent residents.

The teenager received her Singapore citizenship in the last couple of years.

Xiaoyu came to Singapore from Jiangsu, China, at the age of 10 with her father who works as a badminton coach.

Of Jia Min, National Intermediate Squad head coach Liu Qingdong said: "She really is a national asset who must be carefully nurtured, because I strongly believe she is capable of winning an Olympic medal for Singapore.

"She has already proven that she's the best in Asia at her age group and she's very comfortable playing against and beating players who are older than her.

"She is very smart and catches on to the coach's instructions quickly.

"She also practises very hard and has this drive on the court that is not common among other shuttlers."

The coach made the comments at the NTUC FairPrice Foundation sports scholarship award ceremony Wednesday at the FairPrice Hyper Xtra outlet in Changi Business Park.

OLYMPIC MEDAL

The Singapore Sports School student clinched the girls' Under-15 title at the Badminton Asia Youth Championships in October, and also the girls' Under-19 title at the recent Li Ning Youth International here.

The soft-spoken teenager said: "I want to win an Olympic medal one day, and I will be training full-time once I finish my O Levels."

Her teammate, Xiaoyu, was among four shuttlers nominated by the Singapore Badminton Association for the two women's singles South-east Asia (SEA) Games spots this month, but Gu Juan and Chen Jiayuan were eventually given the nod.

Xiaoyu said: "I am a little disappointed at not being picked but I am still young and I will definitely aim for a spot in the 2015 SEA Games here.

"And I will do my best to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games next year (in Nanjing) as well."

Some $81,500 was given out at the ceremony Wednesday to 17 athletes who won medals at the AYG this year.

Swimmers Quah Zheng Wen, Samantha Yeo and Darren Lim - all in Phuket for a pre-SEA Games camp - were the top recipients, receiving $18,750, $14,250 and $11,750 respectively.

The recipients get no cash, but a sports scholarship with a cash value.

They can use the scholarship to offset the school or tuition fees and purchase training and competition equipment, among other things.

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