China secured three gold medals at the 2004 China Open Badminton
Championship, which ended yesterday in Guangzhou.
Olympic women's doubles champions Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen won
the country's first gold in the tournament by beating another
Chinese duo, Zhao Tingting and Wei Yili, 15-14 and 15-12.
China grabbed every spot in the women's doubles semi-finals,
with Du Jing and Yu Yang and Olympic champions Gao Ling and Huang
Sui coming joint third.
"I'm satisfied with the results although we have one less title
than last year," Chinese head coach Li Yongbo said. "Our players
have been short of regular training since the Athens Games."
In singles action, top seed Lin Dan edged out teammate Bao
Chunlai in consecutive sets to take the final 15-11 and 15-10 for
the men's singles gold.
On the women's side, young Chinese shuttler Xie Xingfang beat
Hong Kong's Wang Chen in a nail-biting final 5-11, 11-3 and
11-4.
But China's second-seeded mixed doubles Chen Qiqiu and Zhao
Tingting had to settle for silver after losing to Danish duo Jens
Eriksen and Mette Schjoldager 13-15, 15-13, 8-15.
In the men's doubles, Indonesia's Candra Wijaya and Budiarto won
gold after Malaysians Chew Choon Eng and Choong Tan Fook resigned
from the final due to unexpected illness.
China also showcased future talent as three of its teenagers
surged into the men's singles quarterfinals and 17-year-old Gong
Weijie ousted world No. 2 Peter Gade of Denmark.
Lin Dan, the 21-year-old champion, already felt the heat from
his younger teammates. "I have felt pressured since the Athens
Olympic Games, and I worked even harder after that."
Lin made a shocking first-round exit in Athens where he was
widely recognized as hottest title-contender. "Younger guys are
catching up very soon and that also pushes me to keep advancing,"
he said.
South Korean head coach Kim Jong Soo also thought highly of
China's youngsters and their prospects in the Beijing Olympic
Games.
"China is and definitely will be incomparable in men's and women
's singles, and women's doubles of course. I think other countries
can only compete with them in men's doubles and mixed doubles."
(China Daily and Xinhua News Agency November 15,
2004)