Young guns rule the roost at badminton national championships

Young guns rule the roost at badminton national championships

Mixed doubles champions Supak Jomkoh, left, and Supissara Paewsampran.
Mixed doubles champions Supak Jomkoh, left, and Supissara Paewsampran.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Phittayaporn Chaiwan were crowned singles champions while Supak Jomkoh landed a couple of titles on the final day of the 2020 Toyota Thailand Badminton Championships on Thursday.

Third seed Kunlavut captured the men's singles honours after he upset top seed Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-17, 21-23, 21-11 in the final of the 1.02 million baht tournament.

Kunlavut, 19, is a three-time world junior champion. He made his first World Tour final appearance at the Spain Masters earlier this year, losing to former world No.1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the title match of the Super 300 event in Barcelona.

Phittayaporn, who was seeded fourth, captured the women's singles crown after she defeated second seed Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-16, 21-16.

Supak ended the tournament with two titles, winning the men's and mixed doubles titles.

The 23-year-old teamed up with Supissara Paewsampran to defeat Ratchapol Makkasasithorn and Khanchanok Sudjaipraparat 21-13, 21-14 in the mixed doubles decider.

He then paired with Kittinupong Kedren in the men's doubles final to beat Nattapat Trynkajee and Danupat Viriyangkoon 21-17, 21-13.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn celebrates with the men's singles trophy.

Nuntakarn Aimsaard and Benyapa Aimsaard claimed the women's doubles crown after beating Nitchaon Jindapol and Rawinda Prajongjai 12-21, 21-17, 21-17.

Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, who was re-elected as president of the Badminton Association of Thailand for a fourth term on Sunday, congratulated all the winners.

"This year's tournament was a great success since we had so many young players taking part in the competition," said Patama. "We also have new champions in every category which shows that there is no shortage of exciting new talent in the country.

"These players will represent Thailand at the Thomas and Uber Cup. For Supak, it will be his first time playing for the national team and also for Nattapat in the men's doubles.

"Sisters Nuntakarn and Benyapa Aimsaard were the surprise package and won the women's doubles event. Nitchaon also did very well in her first ever doubles competition," she added.

The 1,020,000-baht tournament was a qualifying event for the Thomas and Uber Cup 2020 to be held in Aarhus, Denmark between Oct 3-11.

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