pre-Commonwealth Games news

World number one Lee out to crack India jinx


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...o-crack-India-jinx/cwgarticleshow/6671050.cms

NEW DELHI: Badminton world number one Lee Chong Wei plans to end his India jinx at the Commonwealth Games, boosted by a narrow victory over fierce rival Lin Dan at the Japan Open last week.

The Malaysian is the defending men's singles champion, but has a poor record in India, failing to win either the Indian Open or the World Championships last year.

"I am not one who believes in previous records and things like that," he told Indian media on his arrival late Friday.

"I always look forward to giving my best in every tournament I participate in. India is one of the few places I have not been able to win a title," he added.

"I want to change that record now. Hopefully the Commonwealth Games will help me set the record straight."

Lee's key threat here is likely to come from compatriot Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, who won the Commonwealth singles crown in 2002 at Manchester.

But the world's best player in top form heading into the Games having won the Japan Open late Sunday, overcoming China's Lin in a tight three-set final.

"That win over Lin was very satisfying. I was losing to him often before that memorable win last Sunday," said Lee.

"Some of his strokes are to be seen to be believed."

The men's singles competition in Delhi gets underway on October 9, with the tournament kicking off with the mixed team heats on Monday.
 
Susan Egelstaff eyes more Commonwealth Games success

Susan Egelstaff aims to add to her tally of Commonwealth Games medals when the action gets underway in Delhi.
The 27-year-old Scot won a singles bronze in Melbourne in 2006 and picked up a bronze in the team event in Manchester four years earlier.
"Training has been going really and I feel like I'm one of 10 or 12 girls in my event that have a chance," she said.
"But there is a big difference between having a chance and coming home with a medal round your neck."
On the fringes of the world top 30, Egelstaff should be in contention for a podium finish but the red-hot favourite for individual gold is India's Saina Nehwal.
The 20-year-old from Hyderabad is the first Indian woman to win a badminton Super Series title, the first to win three titles in succession on the world circuit, and the first to climb as high as world number two.
Malaysian Wong Mew Chew is also expected to do well.

full article here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9054278.stm


good luck Susan!:cool:
 
Saina and Co look to better bronze show in team event

Saina and Co look to better bronze show in team event


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...show-in-team-event/cwgarticleshow/6677446.cms

NEW DELHI: Saina Nehwal will have to lead by example while the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju will have to provide the push as Indian shuttlers take on some strong contenders in the Badminton team event of the Commonwealth Games starting here on Monday.

India are the top seed in group D, which comprises of Scotland, Wales, Barbados and Kenya and national coach Pullela Gopichand feels, in the kind of form Indian shuttlers are in, the hosts should at least make the finals.

India will take on a lowly Kenya in their first match at the Siri Fort Complex to set the ball rolling.

"The team is in very good form. All of us have worked really hard and they should back themselves to reach the finals at least," Gopichand said.

"However the road would not be easy with Malaysia, Singapore and England posing threat to India. But still I am hopeful that the team will do well and hopefully make it to the finals," he added.

At the Melbourne Games in 2006, India finished with a bronze medal at the mixed team event with then rising shuttler Saina Nehwal playing the crucial role to beat much higher-ranked shuttlers like Tracy Hallam of England.

To better their show on their home turf, India will look to get past Barbados on Tuesday and beat Wales and Scotland on Wednesday, beside looking for an outright win on Monday.

Saina, who would be a favourite to win gold in the women's singles, and Chetan Anand will carry the onus in the singles event.

Jwala will have a huge responsibility of not only winning the mixed doubles match with Diju but also inspiring her women's doubles partner Ashwini Poppanna against tougher opponents like Malaysia, Singapore and England.

World number 16th pair of Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas will also have to raise their game, specially against Malaysia and England, in men's doubles.

"It will be difficult to win gold in team event as Malaysia, Singapore and England are very good. They have some wonderful doubles pairs and we will have to take one match at a time and decide the strategy accordingly," Saina said.

The top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be played on October 7. The semifinals will be held on the same day while the bronze-medal and gold-medal matches will be held on October 8. The individual events will start the next day.

Badminton was introduced in the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1966 in which Dinesh Khanna won a bronze medal for India.

Former All England champion Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a Commonwealth gold, at the 1978 Edmonton Games, and Syed Modi repeated the show in 1982 at Brisbane.

Gopichand, who is also an All England Champion, won a bronze at the Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998, while Chetan is the other bronze medallist, having won it in Melbourne four years ago.
 
2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi: Day 1 Medals Tally

madbad said:
Ya, that's the one. Perhaps I should be more specific. It's so darn slow when trying to get live result updates.
Click to expand...
.
So far the loading speed has been OK for us in Australia.

BTW, in Day 1, Australia has already taken the lead at the Medals Tally;

Gold Silver Bronze
AUS 4 2 0
IND 1 3 2
CAN 1 0 3
RSA 1 0 1
SIN 1 0 0
.
 
Download speed for results are better now but they are sometimes incomplete... SIGH!

As an example, go look at the badminton results. Quite frustrating.:mad:
 
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