Li Xuerui in squad to counter Saina Nehwal?

by Shrivathsa Sridhar, AFP



Do the Chinese shuttlers fear Saina Nehwal? A surprising selection policy by the badminton powerhouse ahead of the London Olympics, one that involved dropping world No.4 Wang Shixian for 21-year-old Li Xuerui, Saina's bugbear, has set tongues wagging to that tune.

The talented Xuerui grabbed her ticket to London along with reigning world champion Wang Yihan and world No. 2 Wang Xin last week. While the top two were picked for their efforts in helping China regain the Uber Cup in May this year, Xuerui's four-event winning streak in the last four months and convincing performances against Saina appear to have prompted the Chinese to choose her over Asian champion Shixian.

London Olympics: Gold medallist will be rewarded with a 12.5kg gold bar worth a fortune (Malaysia)

WITH Malaysians hoping the elusive Olympic gold medal will be delivered in London later this month, KL Racquet Club owner Datuk Seri Andrew Kam has promised a gold bar, worth RM2 million, to a local gold medallist in badminton. This is in addition to the government and private incentives already on the table.

The 12.5kg gold bar will be shared should there be more than one gold medallist but it applies only to badminton.

The incentive is on top of the national sports scheme of RM1 million for a gold medal along with the RM1 million carrot pledged by furniture company, Three V Holdings, recently.

This means a shuttler, who wins an Olympic title, can earn RM4 million for his effort.

Andrew, who owns a gold mine in Raub, hopes the incentive will spur the shuttlers to win Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal.

Boonsak wins Singapore Open for second time

Thai ace Boonsak Ponsana claimed his second Singapore Open men's singles title on Sunday after beating China's Wang Zhengming in a hard-fought final.

Photo: Kennee Wong

The 30-year-old, whose world ranking has fallen from fourth in November 2010 to 32nd, beat Wang 21-18, 21-19 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, in a boost for the Thai ahead of the London Olympics.

Boonsak made a sluggish start and trailed former World Junior champion Wang 10-5 early on but he came back to win 10 of the next 12 points and claim the opening game in 25 minutes.


The second game was tight and Wang appeared to have the edge after taking a 19-18 lead.

However, Boonsak fought back and secured the title when Wang smashed wide on match point. The Thai first won the Singapore Open in 2007.

Malaysia : Put the athletes first

Two promising shuttlers quit BJSS to pursue their badminton dream. What a needless decision – if only the powers that be think of the athletes’ interests rather than self glory.

IT was a sad day when young Soong Joo Vern and Darren Isaac Devadass packed their bags and left the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) to pursue their badminton ambitions.

Did we miss something here? Isn’t the BJSS supposedly the custodian of aspiring sportsmen and sportswomen? There to provide talented students with the best of both worlds – excellence in studies and sports. So what went wrong?

Joo Ven and Darren walk out of BJSS to pursue badminton career

By RAJES PAUL

The Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) should be the platform for youngsters to fulfil their sporting ambitions but for two promising shuttlers – Soong Joo Ven and Darren Isaac Devadass – it was not the case.

Photo : Alex van Zaanen

Instead, the two walked out of BJSS, just months before their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams, because they want to pursue their badminton careers.

The school wanted the two boys to compete in the Asean Schools Championships from June 28-July 6 in Indonesia instead of the more important Asian Junior Championships from June 30-July 7 in South Korea.

As the tournament dates clash, the boys asked the school, through the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), permission to play in the Asian Junior meet. But BJSS, which come under the jurisdiction of the Education Ministry’s sports department, told the duo that they must play in the Asean meet.

Time running out for doubles pair Kien Keat-Boon Heong

By KNG ZHENG GUAN

Beleaguered men’s doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong failed their test at the Indonesian Open last week and time is now running out for the pair ahead of the London Olympics.

Photo : Kennee Wong

Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who have been touted as medal hopefuls, have had a terrible run of form, losing to lower ranked pairs and crashing out in the early rounds of the Korean Open, Malaysian Open and the All-England this year.

They made it to the last four in Jakarta but apart from a tricky opening game against Indonesian youngsters Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra, the pair were barely tested in the second round and quarter-finals.