Singaporean boy, 6, crowned Southeast Asia Beyblade champion

Small in stature but big on spin, six-year-old Ahmad Yusuf Ahmad Bahrain has become Southeast Asia's Beyblade champion.

Not only did Yusuf emerge champion in the Regular category at the Singapore G1 Beyblade Championship, he also clinched the G1 Southeast Asia (SEA) Cup Regular title on Sunday (July 12), reported Berita Harian (BH). 

As the Singapore G1 champion, the primary one pupil from Pioneer Primary School represented Singapore at the SEA Cup, which brings together G1 champions from several Southeast Asian countries.

The G1 Championship is Beyblade's highest-tier official tournament in the region, above G2 and G3 competitions, with stricter entry requirements and equipment inspections.

Yusuf defeated more than 100 participants in the Singapore G1 Regular qualifying tournament at Marina Square on Saturday.

He then beat representatives from Indonesia and Thailand on Sunday, before being crowned the regional champion in the Regular category for competitors aged six to 12.

According to Yusuf's father, Ahmad Bahrain Hassan, 34, his son has yet to fully grasp what he has achieved.

"He's happy because he gets to play Beyblade and win a trophy. He doesn't really understand what it means to be the Southeast Asia champion yet," Ahmad told BH.

During the competition, Yusuf said he wanted the silver Beyblade awarded to the runner-up, prompting laughter from his family as he was not even thinking about winning, Ahmad recalled.

Birthday gift sparks champion's journey

Yusuf began competing last December and soon showed his potential, when he finished runner-up in the G3 Open category at a tournament in Kuala Lumpur in April. 

It was his first major tournament before competing in the Singapore G1 event last weekend.

His interest in Beyblade began by chance, after he received a Beyblade stadium set as a birthday gift last year.

Ahmad told BH: "Over time, we noticed that the way he played was a little different. The way he launched, the way he read the game ... we could see he had potential."

To further develop Yusuf's skills, the family sought guidance from members of the local Beyblade community, including Team Dark Horse and BeyDojo.

Eyes on the world stage

During the SEA Cup, Yusuf defeated a representative from Jakarta before overcoming a competitor from Bangkok in the final round to emerge the Southeast Asia champion.

His double triumph earned him a trophy, a Beyblade gold medal, 15,000 ranking points, a $200 toy voucher for winning the Singapore G1 Championship, as well as prizes from the SEA Cup.

Ahmad estimates that his son owns around 60 Beyblades and explained that each Beyblade consists of three main components — the blade, ratchet and bit — which can be mixed and matched from different sets to achieve specific performance characteristics.

He supports his son's interest in Beyblade, because it has helped reduce the boy's screen time. He also told BH that Beyblade has helped the family spend quality time together.

They are now considering preparing for the Beyblade World Championship, which is expected to be held in Thailand later this year.

Ahmad said the family has never placed any pressure on Yusuf whenever he competes.

"As parents, seeing him have the courage to stand up and compete in front of so many people is already a victory for us," he told BH.

AsiaOne has reached out to Ahmad for comment.

[[nid:739295]]

helmy.saat@asiaone.com