Medal chances high

• We are expecting to win silver medals in junior events. They can even win gold medal too. Anayet Ullah Khan, Junior Badminton Coach

After the frustrating performance of local shuttlers in the senior event, the junior shuttlers are expected to shine in the Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Junior 2018, which is set to get underway at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium today.

Hosts Bangladesh could only win a bronze medal in women's doubles after losing the semifinal battle against their Malaysian counterparts in the seniors' tournament where national champion Salman Khan and country's top-ranked shuttler Gourav Singha were eliminated from the third round of men's singles.  Country's number one female shuttler Alina Sultana and national champion Shapla Akter were eliminated from the first and second round of women's singles respectively.

The results of senior shuttlers were expected due to almost no preparation ahead of the tournament. Besides, there was stiff competition from some quality shuttlers from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and others nations.

“Though Bangladesh won a bronze medal in the senior competition, we are expecting to win silver medals in junior events. They can even win gold medal too,” said junior team coach Anayet Ullah Khan.

In junior competition, some 33 shuttlers from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are expected to take part in five events -- men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles. Bangladesh's Abdul Hamid Lukman and Mohammad Sibghat Ullah are top seeds in men's singles while USA's Ruhi Raju and India's Treesa Jolly are top seeds in women's singles event.

The junior competitions are not expected to be as tough as the senior competitions as mostly the South Asian countries are taking part.

There is chance for Bangladesh to win gold medals in men's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles where the local shuttlers will have to compete against players from Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.