This junior competition is an established feature in the calendar of Badminton Malta. The spotlight is on the upcoming talents within the association’s junior ranks, while at the same time motivating the participants to aim for higher achievements.
The championships comprised the traditional five singles and doubles categories in three separate age brackets: U/13, U/16 and U/19.
The U/13 boys singles final pitted defending champion Nigel Degaetano against last year’s finalist Matthew Abela.
This time round, it was Abela who won the direct encounter, wresting the national title from his opponent with a 21/12, 21/10 win.
The equivalent girls singles title was won by Sarah Ann Mallia who defeated Cheryl Gilford in two straight sets with an identical score of 21/9, 21/9.
The U/13 boys doubles final saw brothers Mark and Matthew Abela prevail over Degaetano and Luigi Grech.
After taking the first set 21/13, the Abela brothers faced a determined reaction from their opponents in the second set. They kept their composure to win with a marginal 23/21 score and clinch the title.
Matthew Abela also added the U/13 mixed doubles honour to his positive record, partnered by Sasha Cini, with a 21/11, 21/5 win over Mark Abela and Gilford.
The national titles in the U/16 section were won as follows:
Boys singles – Owen Grech (Runner-up: Kyle Sciberras).
Girls singles – Joanne Ciantar (Runner-up: Lisa Formosa).
Boys doubles – Owen Gre-ch/Matthew Abela (Runners-up: Kyle Sciberras/Nigel Degaetano).
Girls doubles – Joanne Cia-ntar/Jacqueline Grech Licari(Runners-up: Atlanta Cochrane/Lisa Formosa).
Mixed doubles – Owen Grech/Joanne Ciantar (Runners-up: Matthew Abela/Jacqueline Grech Licari).
The U/19 section continued on the same pattern, producing several equally interesting encounters which saw the protagonists play their hearts out in their bid to achieve national glory.
The boys singles final was arguably the best match of the championships in which the U/16 finalists faced each other once again.
This time, it was Kyle Sciberras who prevailed over Owen Grech at the end of a three-set thriller which was played very well by both.
Grech took the first set 21/14 but Sciberras drew level by winning the second with the same scoreline.
In the decisive third set, both players went all out to secure the title. In a highly-charged finish, a determined Sciberras managed to edge out his opponent with a 23/21 win to secure the national title.
The girls singles crown went to Dominique Francica who had the better of her twin sister Catriona at the end of another exciting three-set match which ended 21/19, 14/21, 21/13.
The other national titles in the U/19 category were won as follows:
Girls doubles – Dominique and Catriona Francica (Runners-up: Atlanta Cochrane/Lisa Formosa).
Mixed doubles – Owen Grech/Catriona Francica (Runners-up: Matthew Abela/ Dominique Francica).