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.