West Norfolk ace enjoys prolonged run at World Junior Championships

Former West Norfolk Junior Badminton ace Harry Wakefield enjoyed a prolonged run in the doubles event at the World Junior Championships.

Wakefield, from Feltwell, and his played partner Robin Harper reached the last 16 stage in Spokane, with several eye-catching performances along the way.

Following a 14th-place finish at the team event, the individual action began on Monday and the doubles competitions brought the strongest performances.

Harper and Wakefield will take home fond memories from the USA after beating top seeds Dev Ayyappan and Dhiren Ayyappan, of the UAE, in the second round.

The English pairing fought back after losing the first game 18-21, taking the next two 21-17, 21-16 to earn a statement win.

They took that confidence into the next round against Thailand’s Songpon Sae-Ma and Phurinath Saikamma, prevailing 21-17, 21-17, before Japan’s Kosuke Kakuta and Kaito Sugawara proved too strong in the fourth round