Badminton stars flock to championship

SIBU: The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting Ing Horh hailed the World Chinese Badminton Federation (WCBF) Sibu for attracting an impressive 536 badminton players from across the globe to the town.

Ting expressed surprise upon learning the high number of participants from WCBF Sibu president Ting Wei Ping.

“I hope to see even more next year, and rest assured, I’ll be here to welcome you all again,” he said in his speech during the Sarawak Invitational Masters Badminton Championship 2024’s welcoming dinner at a hotel here on Thursday.

The three-day tournament (July 5-7) boasts a total prize money of RM90,000, featuring 59 categories and 1,072 matches.

Ting (5th left) officiate at the welcoming dinner.

A group photo taken at the dinner.

Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the Global Chinese Badminton Federation, Zhuo Shijie, expressed his delight at the unifying power of badminton.

“This sport is deeply ingrained in Malaysian culture, often considered our national sport and it plays a crucial role in badminton’s development worldwide. Today, badminton enthusiasts from around the world have come together in Sibu to exchange skills and forge friendships through this sport, truly promoting badminton at its finest,” Zhuo added.

The Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching, Raden Sigit Witjaksono echoed the sentiment of fostering international connections.

“We would love to see more such events in the future, not just in Sibu, but also in other countries, perhaps even Singkawang, Indonesia,” he added.