By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 18: Sarawak’s rising badminton star Genevie Lim and her partner Low Zi Yu defeated Japan’s Nijika Kamata and Shizuku Kashio (15-7, 9-15, 15-12) in the women’s doubles final of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Championships 2026 in Cairo, Egypt on Oct 17.
According to a press release, the Malaysian pair became the first Malaysian pair to win the World Junior women’s doubles title since the championships began in 1992.
“The victory marks a historic milestone for Malaysian badminton and a particularly proud moment for Sarawak, with Genevie emerging as one of the State’s brightest young badminton talents,” said the Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA).
The association added that three months ago, Lim and Low won the bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yatsushiro, Japan.
“Their remarkable progress from Asian junior bronze medallists to World Junior Champions reflects their determination, hard work and continued improvement,” it said.
SBA president Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar described the achievement as a proud moment for Sarawak badminton.
“Genevie’s achievement is something all Sarawakians can be proud of. To see one of our own players become a World Junior Champion is truly special. It shows that Sarawak has the talent and potential to produce players capable of competing and winning at the highest international level.
“On behalf of SBA, I congratulate Genevie, Zi Yu, their coaches and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for this historic success. We hope this achievement will inspire more young players across Sarawak to pursue their dreams in badminton,” he said.
Wan Lizozman also reaffirmed SBA’s commitment to strengthening player development, providing quality training, and creating more opportunities for promising Sarawak players to progress to the national and international levels.
Meanwhile, SBA honorary secretary Datuk Dr Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad, who served as Malaysia’s team manager at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Japan earlier this year, said Lim’s achievement was particularly meaningful to him.
“Just a few months ago, I was with Genevie and Zi Yu in Japan when they won bronze at the Asia Junior Championships. Today, they are World Junior Champions. To see how far they have come in such a short time makes me really happy and proud.
“Genevie’s journey has not always been easy. When she returned to Sarawak after leaving the national setup, SBA continued to believe in her potential and supported her development. With our president’s support, we later recommended her return to BAM, where she had another chance to prove herself.
“Her journey shows what can happen when we continue to believe in our young players and give them the right support and opportunities. I hope her story will encourage other young Sarawak players never to give up on their dreams,” he said.
Wan Khalik also thanked BAM, the national junior coaching team, and everyone involved in Genevie’s development for their continued support and guidance.
In recognition of Lim’s historic achievement, SBA will present her with a special cash reward for winning the World Junior title.
The reward reflects SBA’s appreciation of Lim’s outstanding achievement and its continued commitment to recognising and supporting Sarawak players who excel at the national and international levels.
SBA hopes Lim’s success will inspire more young badminton players throughout Sarawak and further motivate the association’s ongoing efforts to develop the next generation of champions. — DayakDaily
