GUADALAJARA SETS NEW STANDARDS
The recently-concluded World Junior Championship at the CODE Dome in Guadalajara, Mexico produced some remarkable records. To start with, a European was named the Men Singles Champion, a Thai became the first lady to win the Singles back-to-back; both the winners at 15 and 16 years respectively, were too young to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Singapore in August; China failed at these two events for the first time since the inception of the series in 1992.
Fifteen year old Danish teenager Viktor Axelsen was over the moon with his success at the World Championship. “I really cannot believe that I’ve won the title. And to become the first European to do so is even more meaningful,” expressed an ecstatic Viktor after his 21-19, 21-10 demolition of Korea’s Kang Jik Wook in the final.
Earlier in the quarter-finals, he had outthought, outpaced and outlasted the top seeded Chinese Huang Yeixiang 16-21, 21-16, 21-11 and in the semi-final was engaged in another marathon 19-21, 21-15, 21-15 with Indian youngster Sai Preneet. In world standing, the Danish youngster is rankled a distant 233!
In the history of the championship, European players have never won titles of any shape or colour. The winners have predominantly come from China with a sprinkling emerging from Malaysia, Korea and Taipei. Viktor’s entry into this select group of winners is a welcome change and Denmark will be delighted with its youth development programme. The youngster trains in Odense under the experience of Lennart Eggler.
Intanon Ratchanok, the sweetheart of the Thai nation was a picture of confidence as she looked beyond of the Singapore Games. “Unfortunately the age criteria does not allow me to participate in my first ‘Olympics’ in Singapore but I am not too disappointed. There is always London 2012 to look to. For the moment, my priority is to improve my rankings.” Presently Intanon is ranked 63 in Badminton World Ranking.
Her win of the Ladies Singles title in the Mexican city where she was taken to three games by Japan’s Matsutomo Misaki 21-13, 16-21, 21-10 was according to her, “more a dream than a reality. I am delighted with my performance and hope to build on this success.”
The third of the blue-riband event, the Men Doubles also escaped China, leaving the world champions to return home with a couple of consolations prizes – the Ladies Doubles and the Mixed Doubles.
Malaysia dominated the Men Doubles with two of its pairs in the final. Ow Yap Han bagged his consecutive gold in the event when he won it in Guadalajara with new partner Yew Cheng Hong this time. They beat teammates Nelson Wei & Teo Ee Yi for the gold.
But a visibly disappointed China still returned home with the most number of gold medals – three in all with a third coming in the team event.
For earlier in the week, China had set new standards with a comprehensive performance to retain the World Junior Team Championships with a 3-0 whitewash of Korea in the finals. The matches were also plays at the CODE Dome in Guadalajara. This is the fifth time in six outings that the China has won the title. The only blemish came in the 2006 tournament in the Korean city of Incheon where the host nation edged out the Chinese.
Malaysia won the bronze medal when it edged Indonesia 3-2 with its women’s doubles pair of Shevon Lai-Yang Li Lian picking up the vital third in a three-game match-up with Nurbeta Kwanrico-Aulia Putri Darajat.
Japan beat Denmark to secure the fifth place while Chinese Taipei defeated Thailand 3-0 to secure seventh place. India beat England for 9th spot.
Denmark was the best of the European teams coming in 6th in the final standing of teams. Canada did best for the Americas being placed 16th and South Africa was 23rd. Host Mexico was 21st in the final lineup.
FINAL POSITIONS
1 - China, 2 - South Korea, 3 - Malaysia, 4 - Indonesia, 5 - Japan, 6 - Denmark, 7 - Chinese Taipei, 8 - Thailand, 9- India, 10 - England, 11 - Hong Kong, 12 - Germany, 13 - France, 14 - Netherlands, 15 - Singapore, 16 - Canada, 17 - Turkey, 18 - Peru, 19 - Austria, 20 - USA, 21 - Mexico, 22 - Puerto Rico, 23 - South Africa, 24 - Dominican Republic.
RESULTS OF INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
MEN SINGLES
Viktor Axelsen (DEN) beat Kang Ji Wook (KOR) 21-19, 21-10
LADIES SINGLES Intanon Ratchanok (THA) beat Misaki Matsutomo (JPN) 21-13, 16-21, 21-10
MEN DOUBLES
Ow Yao Han & Yew Kheng Hong (MAS) beat Nelson Wei & Teo Ee Yi (MAS) 21-18, 21-15
LADIES DOUBLES
Bao Yixin & Ou Dongni (CHN) beat Tang Jin Hua & Xia Huang (CHN) 21-13, 21-18
MIXED DOUBLES
Liu Cheng & Bao Yixin (CHN) beat Kang Ji Wook & Choi Hye In (KOR) 21-15, 21-15