The inaugural 2025 Hospital Universiti Malaysia Sabah (HUMS) Juniors Open Pickleball Tournament marked the beginning of Sabah's pickleball tournament calendar for the year.
It was organized by Kelab Kebajikan dan Rekreasi HUMS (KKRHUMS) in conjunction with the Sabah Pickleball Association (SAPA), and notably, this was the first ever Sabahan tournament devoted exclusively to junior players.
According to the SAPA President, Julita Akabal, the purpose of the tournament was to unearth new talent among junior players, and to encourage new players to further their interest and achievement in the sport.
“This tournament also the best platform to provide veteran juniors with an avenue for high quality competitions at local level to prepare them for inter-state and international events.
“To that effect, the tournament was divided into Novice and Intermediate categories, to encourage new and less experienced players to garner competition experience without fear of being overwhelmed or dominated by state players,” she said.
Meanwhile, Director of HUMS, Associate Professor Dr Malehah Datuk Mohd Noh, who was on hand to witness the U12 closing ceremonies and award the prizes to the winners, commended pickleball as being part of a very important public health strategy especially for younger people, who are currently inundated with the twin evils of smartphone addiction and obesity.
“I was pleased to see many young people join and was happy that for a new sport, there had been such high level of visibility and regular training and competition.
“I hoped that SAPA and HUMS will organize more junior pickleball tournaments and also regular matches and hopes that the UMS Pickleball Arena will one day reach tournament standard,” she said.
The tournament featured 30 junior players between ages 7 to 17, representing more than 10 primary and secondary schools, and even featuring two players with British nationality.
In the U12 male doubles category, Muhammad Ammar Asyraf and Ivanovic Saniyil, both from SK Malawa, achieved victory in the novice category for beginner players, whereas Dominic Ziquan Pang from SJK (C) St James and Seth Ooi Jhu Fen from SRS Datuk Simon Fung were the winners of the Intermediate category for tournament level players.
For the U12 female doubles category, Nursuhannah Mohd Shahnaz and Nurshahirah Mohd Shahnaz, both from SJK (C) Yick Nam, were the victors in the novice category.
The U17 female doubles novice category was won by Sarah and Eliana Sandah from SMK St Francis Convent.
In the U17 male category had a large range of high-level players compete, and they did not disappoint.
The U17 intermediate category was won by Nathan and Samuel Guansing, who narrowly pipped Golden Chong Hon Yee and Jayden Jay Ng from SMJK Shan Tao into second place.
Third place finishers were Ravin Tampi and Jayden Tiu from SM All Saints.