This event has been a regular feature on Badminton Malta’s national calendar for several years. The emerging talents within its ranks eagerly await it since it enables them to gauge their individual progress on a national scale.

The event serves also to motivate the participants to a higher achievement in their standard of play.

Following the successful organisation of the U/13 and U/16 categories, Badminton Malta recently organised the U/19 edition at the Cottonera Sports Complex, featuring Men’s and Ladies’ Singles as well as Doubles competitions.

The U/19 Men’s Singles title was won by Samuel Cali, who defeated Avner Vella in the final in two clear sets with an identical scoreline: 21/12 - 21/12. The match, which initially started as a balanced affair, saw Cali emerge in the long run over his opponent to take the coveted national title.

Cali and Vella then teamed up to take the Doubles title. In the final, they had the better of M. Chircop/C. Zammit whom they defeated 21/8 - 21/15.

This season’s edition of the U/19 Ladies’ Singles event was played on a round robin basis. Additionally, each fixture consisted of only two sets, thereby creating the possibility of a drawn result.

Jahel Briffa, who was undefeated throughout the competition, took the national title. Maria Mizzi was the runner-up; her only defeat was against the title winner.

Briffa and Mizzi then teamed up to take the Doubles title, after defeating C. O’Berg and D. Galea in the final.

After taking the first set 21/11, the title winners had to face the determined reaction of their opponents in the second one, which Briffa/Mizzi eventually won 26/24 after an epic struggle.

Badminton Malta expressed its general satisfaction at the high standard of play manifested by all the participants throughout this national event. The association expressed its gratitude to EuroSport for the valuable support provided in the staging of these national championships.