CHINA DOMINATES ASIAN JUNIOR 2010
China completed a near white-wash of this year’s Asian Junior Championships at the Juara Badminton Stadium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur over the weekend, winning five of six titles.
The Chinese youngsters regained the team title which it lost to Malaysia last year with its ladies playing a dominant role in securing the 3-2 win. The Mixed Doubles, Ladies Singles and Doubles went China’s way with Malaysia taking the Men’s Singles and Doubles. Thailand and Indonesia were declared joint third.
This would be China’s second Team title after its success of 2008. Korea won in the inaugural year while Malaysia was successful in 2007 and 2009.
Chinese domination continued in the Individual Events which followed the Team Championship, when it swept four of five titles. The only one to elude China’s grip was the Men Doubles, presumably China’s weakest discipline. In the previous two Championships, where it won four titles, it was the Men Doubles that prevented an otherwise Chinese sweep.
The Men Singles went into three games in the wake of an unexpectedly strong performance from Malaysia’s Sheng Loh Wei. In the absence of his top seeded teammate, Zulkifli Zulfadli who was eliminated in the semi-final, Loh Wei forced the 2nd seeded Huang Yuxiang into a third game before losing out on power.
Thailand’s 17-year Sapsiree Taerattanachai, who was top seeded in the Ladies Singles, found the stage intimidating against the seconded seeded Suo Di of China and surrendered tamely 13, 11.
Korea’s lone gold medal came through its Men Doubles pairing of Wook Kang Ji & Choi Seung Il against Malaysians Kheng Yew Hong & Han Ow Yao.
China’s fourth medal was a ‘gift’ from Malaysia when Han Oo Yao & Lai Pei Jing conceded a walkover to Bao Yixin & Liu Cheng in the Mixed Doubles.
The ladies Doubles was an All Chinese affair with the top-ranked Xia Huan & Tang Jinhua breezing past teammates Ou Dongni & Bao Yixin in straight games.
RESULTS OF ASIAN JUNIOR 2010
MEN SINGLES
Huang Yuxiang (CHN) beat Sheng Loh Wei (MAS) 14-21, 21-17, 21-16
LADIES SINGLES
Suo Di (CHN) beat Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA) 21-13, 21-11
MEN DOUBLES
Wook Kang Ji & Choi Seung Il (KOR) beat
Kheng Yew Hong & Han Ow Yao (MAS) 21-16, 21-14
LADIES DOUBLES
Xia Huan & Tang Jinhua (CHN) beat 21-17, 21-8
Ou Dongni & Bao Yixin (CHN)
MIXED DOUBLES
Bao Yixin & Liu Cheng (CHN) beat W/O
Han Oo Yao & Lai Pei Jing (MAS)
TEAM EVENT
Champions : China (3-2)
Runner-up : Malaysia
Joint Third : Indonesia & Thailand