Beijing Olympic Games

Updated: 2007-06-13 From: Xinhuanet

China’s Lin Dan returns the shuttlecock during the first day match against Poompat Sapkulchananart of Thailand at the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, June 11, 2007. Lin won the match 2-0. (Xinhua Photo)

GLASGOW, June 11 (Xinhua) — China launched their defending journey by sweeping Thailand 5-0 at the 10th Sudirman Cup World Mixed Team Badminton Championships here on Monday.

China opened with newly pair Zheng Bo/Gao Ling’s win over Songphon Anugritayawon/Kunchala Voravichitchaikul at 21-13, 21-12.

Gao was formerly paired with Zhang Jun and the duo won the mixed doubles champion in Sydney and Athens Olympics. As the 21-point system was adopted, Zhang began to fade away and Zheng stole the limelight.

It was proved Zheng/Gao were a perfect match as they have won four Super Series and one Open, beating almost all top mixed doubles pairs.

Zheng said after the match that he felt well as they beat the Thai duo twice.

Xie Xingfang, world second-ranked women’s singles shuttler, overcame Soratja Chansrisukot 21-11, 21-9.

“I never played Chansrisukot before. She is a tall girl and plays in full force. I had to adjust to that,” Xie said.

When Lin Dan, Xie’s boyfriend and world top men’s singles player, beat Poompat Sapkulchananart 21-18, 21-14, China has achieved a perfect start.

In the other two matches, China’s Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng and Yang Wei/Zhao Ting all went through with easy victories.

Li Yongbo, head coach of the Chinese team, tipped China’s winning start just so-so because China did not play against a should-be stronger rival.

Li added that Thailand should not field such a reserve team.

“It’s a pity that Thailand have lost such a good opportunity to play against the strongest team,” said he.

In other matches of Group 1, England surprised all by beating Malaysia 3-2, South Korea fielded Han Sang Hoon/Lee Hyo Jung in the mixed doubles, thus edging Indonesia 3-2, while Denmark led Hong Kong, China 3-0, wrapping up the competition 3-2.

In Group 2, Singapore beat Sweden 5-0, Chinese Taipei defeated Germany 4-1, Japan piped the Netherlands 4-1 and Poland outlasted Russia 4-1.

China’s Gao Ling (R) returns the shuttlecock as her partner Zheng Bo watches during the first day match against Songphon Anugritayawon and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul of Thailand at the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, June 11, 2007. Gao and Zheng won the match 2-0. (Xinhua/Xie Xiudong)

China’s Yang Wei (R) returns the shuttlecock as her partner Zhao Tingting watches during the first day match against Duangangong Aroonkesorn and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul of Thailand at the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, June 11, 2007. Yang and Zhao won the match 2-0. (Xinhua/Zhang Chen)

Updated: 2007-06-12 From: Xinhuanet

GLASGOW, June 11 (Xinhua) — Li Yongbo, head coach of the Chinese badminton team, fielded Xie Xingfang instead of Zhang Ning at the first match against Thailand at the Sudirman Cup mixed badminton championship for Zhang’s sake.

Li released the lineup on Monday, explaining that world number one Zhang Ning’s left ankle was still swollen. For her sake, China fielded Xie instead of Zhang.

“Since Zhang has not recovered, we need to protect her form any other injuries,” said Li.

Li said Lin Dan was now in good form but mentioned that Bao Chunlai and Chen Jin should be well prepared.

“If Lin’s form is down, we will field Bao or Chen,” added Li.

As for Zheng Bo/Gao Ling, who are currently ranked sixth in the world, Li had meant to send them to play against world number three pair Sudket Prapakamol/Sara lee Thoungthongkam.

However, the Thai duo didn’t show up on the list. The same case happened on their top men’s singles player Boonsak Ponsana, which meant Thailand intended to give up the match as their arch rivals were England and Malaysia.

“Zheng/Gao is supposed to increase their world rankings to world top one or two in the coming months.”

Updated: 2007-06-09 From: Xinhuanet

GLASGOW, June 8 (Xinhua) — Chinese national badminton team, defending champion of Sudirman Cup World Mixed badminton Championship, arrived at Glasgow on Thursday with a sole aim of defending the title.

The Chinese team, holder of Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup, arrived at Glasgow late on Thursday. All the shuttlers and officials looked tired due to an eleven-hour flight and seven-hour time difference.

The Chinese squad consists of seventeen shuttlers including world top ranked player Lin Dan in men’s singles and his girlfriend Xie Xingfang, who are joined by Olympic women’s singles champion Zhang Ning.

Li Yongbo, head coach of China team, came to Glasgow on Tuesday and kept a high profile, saying the only aim for China at the tournament was to retain the title.

His words were echoed by Zhong Bo, coach of men ’s singles players. Zhong said: “We look forward to the sixth win.”

According to the schedule, China will start practice at 10:00 on Friday morning, and they will meet Thailand, England and Malaysia in the group stage.

Updated: 2007-04-16 From: China Daily

The Yonex-Sunrise Badminton Asia Championships 2007 closed at Johor Baru, capital of Malaysia’s southern state of Johor,on Sunday, with badminton players from China seizing three golds.

In the women’s singles final on the day, China’s Jiang Yanjiao overcame her teammate Lu Lan in two straight games 25-23 and 23-21, taking away the gold.

In the women’s doubles final, China’s Yang Wei/Zhao Tingting beat their teammate pair Cheng Shu/Zhao Yunlei in two easy games 21-10 and 21-11.

In the mixed doubles final, He Hanbin/Yu Yang dispelled Xu Chen/ Zhao Tingting, also from China, with 22-20, 21-15 and bagged the gold.

However, in the men’s singles, Indonesia’s Hidayat Taufik blocked Chinese shuttler Chen Hong’s way to capture the gold, knocking Chen down with 21-18 and 21-19.

Meanwhile, a dramatic performance was seen in the men’s doubles on the day as Malaysian pair Lee Wan Wah/Choong Tan Fook defeated the country’s top pair Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong with 21-14, 11-21, 21-12.

The Yonex-Sunrise Badminton Asia Championships 2007 kicked off at Johor Baru last Tuesday. Malaysia’s top male shuttler and defending champion Lee Chong Wei was knocked out by “Wonder Boy” Taufik Hidayat with 21-17 and 21-17 during an encounter last Friday. (Xinhua)

Updated: 2007-04-05

The Badminton World Federation will conduct the draw for the 3rd edition of the World Senior Championships on April 4, 2007.

The championships, which have attracted 432 entries, will be played at the Taipei Municipal Stadium, Chinese Taipei from April 24 to 29.

However, the draw will only be released after it has been verified by the tournament Referee, Charlotte Ackermann.

Six age groups - men’s and women’s 35 , men’s and women’s 40 , men’s and women’s 45 , men’s and women’s 50 , men’s and women’s 55 and men’s and women’s 60 will be contested.

(Credit: BWF. Click here for further information.)

Updated: 2007-03-26 From: Xinhuanet

HAVANA, March 25 (Xinhua) — Italy’s national badminton team won two gold medals on Sunday to lead the medals table at the eighth edition of the Giraldilla International Tournament.

In the women’s singles, Italy’s Agnese Allegrine, ranked 34th in the world, successfully defended her title with a straight sets win over Cuba’s Solangel Guzman, who is currently Caribbean and Central America champion.

Italy’s Klaus Raffeinier partnered Allegrine to win the mixed doubles gold, after defeating Peruvian pair Jie Meng and Francisco Ugaz in straight sets of 21-11 and 21-17.

In the men’s singles, Spain’s Pablo Abian, ranked 43rd in the world, also defended his title in a hard fought final against compatriot Ernesto Velasquez, winning 20-22, 21-13 and 21-9.

On Saturday, Cuban pair Solangel Guzman and Leydi E. Mora won the women’s doubles, while the men’s doubles went to Algeria’s Nabil Lasmari and France’s Lenaic Luang.

Updated: 2007-03-12 From: Xinhuanet

LONDON, March 11 (Xinhua) — China’s Lin Dan and his girlfriend Xie Xingfang each earned a berth in the men’s and women’s final respectively at the All England Open badminton championships with comfortable victories here on Saturday.

It’s the fourth successive All England final for the nicknamed “Super Dan”, who won over the fifth seeded compatriot Bao Chunlai 21-14, 21-16.

The match was a repeat of the world championship final in Madrid last year when Lin again came out on top.

His final rival on Sunday will be fellow Chinese Chen Yu, the sixth seed who outlasted second seed Chen Jin 21-18, 9-21, 21-13.

The women’s final pits Xie and France’s Pi Hongyan, who is Chinese-born, at the National Indoor Arena on Sunday.

Xie booked her place for the fourth time in the last five years with a 21-14, 21-19 victory over compatriot Zhu Lin, while Pi Hongyan survived match point to beat another Chinese Zhang Ning 21-18, 21-23, 24-22.

China could capture all five titles up for grabs on Sunday, a feat never achieved in a tournament that dates back to 1899, as the doubles events see Chinese pairs in the finals.

The men’s doubles final will be played between top seeded Chinese Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng and eighth seeds Koo Kien Keat/Tan BoonHeong of Malaysia, while the pairs of Wei Yili/Zhang Yawen and Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen set up all Chinese final in the women’s doubles.

England’s mixed doubles world championship silver medallists Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg broke the Chinese stranglehold with a feisty 21-19, 21-17 victory over second-seeded Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yawen.

The English duo now meet China’s Zheng Bo and Gao Ling who beat world champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms in Friday’s quarter-finals.