Sri Lankans Noah and Kayan win three medals at Saudi Federation U-15 tourney.
Kayan (left) and Noah with their medals
Noah Thassim and Kayan Thassim, two brothers with Sri Lankan roots secured three medals at the Saudi Badminton Federation Under-15 Championship. The two brothers living in the Middle Eastern country, have had a keen interest in badminton since the tender age, and winning medals at a national level in Saudi Arabia has given them true inspiration to pursue more success in the coming competitions next season.
Kayan (14) claimed two medals, a bronze each in the Boys’ Singles and Doubles, but the standout achievement came from Noah (13), who had the privilege of pocketing the silver medal in the Boys’ Singles. The brothers had the rare moment of facing each other in the Boys’ Doubles quarter-finals, after competing with different partners and performing exceptionally well during the initial knockout rounds.
Noah and his partner had claimed the first set after a near nerve-racking battle, but ended up losing to his own sibling, Kayan and his partner, who made a remarkable comeback to overcome his younger brother. Noah fiercely and single-handedly clashed against the older brother and his strong partner, but he found himself in the losing side with great dismay after a strong battle.
Kayan and his partner went on to compete for the third position, but they were outsmarted by the eventual gold medal winners, as the young Sri Lankan and his partner settled in with the bronze medal in the Boys’ Doubles category. Noah went all the way to the finals of the Boys’ Singles after a perfect campaign, but despite his relentless efforts, he was outsmarted by the eventual gold medallist pushing the Sri Lankan youngster to the silver medal.
Kayan on the hand, competed for the third position in Singles, and faced a stiff challenge from his opponent before going down in the first set. But his crafty moves, filled with great determination enabled him to make a strong comeback and win the remaining two sets and claim the bronze medal.
Both Kayan and Noah are now ranked among the Top 8 in both Boys’ Singles and Doubles in the Under-15 category in Saudi Arabia. They are slotted to compete in the upcoming elite competition, where only the top ranked shuttlers will be featured in January, 2025, so definitely stay tuned.
Following their experience and exposure in the concluded tournament, they will definitely weigh the plusses and minuses as they reflect back and to grow from this wonderful opportunity. Both brothers, grandsons of late S.B.C. Thassim, a well-known social worker and a former banker, will optimistically compete to finish among medal winners at the elite competition.
By claiming three medals in two categories, Kayan and Noah have proved that they are already a force to be reckoned with at future competitions in Saudi Arabia and around the Globe. The administrators of the Saudi Arabian Badminton Federation and the Sports Ministry are genuinely putting out their best of efforts to uplift the standards of the game.
Badminton clubs around Saudi Arabia, Club and private coaches, who are equally committed with one goal in their mind. That is, to be able to reach the world stage. The Saudi Badminton Federation Under-15 Tournament was represented by 82 youngsters contesting in the Singles and 40 teams competing in the Doubles events, representing 40 professional badminton teams from across Saudi Arabia