Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s juniors squash players have a good outing at the just concluded CIMB 20th Rising Star & 14th National Junior Circuits Grand Finals 2025 concluded at Seremban Squash Courts 2 on Sunday.
The state contingent was represented by seven players in the five-day tournament featuring 32 of the nation’s top juniors in six age categories.
Francine Ava Faurillo was the best finisher by securing runner-up spot in the girls’ under-13 category followed by Amber Kristy Muyou, who finished fifth in the girls’ under-17 category and Marion Jesse James with eighth place finish in the girls’ under-15.
In the boys’ categories, Muhd Zidane Zicqree, Cliff Elmer Stamos and Dave Elvin Stamos finished 14th, 16th and 17th respectively in the under-19 category, while Tristan Andreas clinched fifth place finish in the senior junior category.
An official statement from Sabah Squash Association on Tuesday said Amber (15) and Zidance (14), who displayed impressive resilience against older players in the under-17 category, are set to compete at international-level tournaments in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in December.
They believed the overall performance of the players reflected the increasing depth of junior talent in the state.
They also highlighted the importance of strengthening their mental toughness and psychological aspect in preparation for higher-level and more competitive competitions.
