NANCHANG, China, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia defeated China to claim the Badminton World Junior Mixed Team Championships title, winning 110-103 (accumulated points) in a thrilling final held on Saturday in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province.
In a rematch of last year's final, Indonesia dashed China's hopes of defending their title. Xu Wenjing gave China a strong start with an 11-7 victory in the opening women's singles match. However, Indonesia quickly turned the tide, taking a 55-48 lead after the first five rounds.
Despite China's best efforts, their shuttlers were unable to close the gap in the remaining five rounds. The Indonesians maintained their advantage and clinched the championship, holding onto their seven-point lead.
This year marked the debut of a relay format in the tournament, with each match consisting of 10 rounds. These rounds included two matches each in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. The first team to accumulate 110 points secured the victory.
China remains the most successful team in the history of the mixed team event, having won 14 titles across 20 editions. South Korea follows with three championships, while Indonesia celebrates its second title with this latest victory.
The week-long individual events are set to begin on Sunday. ■
