Liang to dance up a storm on court Above: Liang Xiaoyu is eyeing the 2020 Olympics because she knows she will be a more complete player then. ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM Above: Liang, at the age of seven, represented her school in dancing before she switched to badminton.PHOTO COURTESY OF LIANG XIAOYU Published Oct 16, 2015, 5:00 am SGT Jonathan Wong jonwong@sph.com.sg Liang Xiaoyu covers the badminton court effortlessly, her footwork soft and precise, almost as though keeping time to a secret melody whispering through her head. There was no music playing inside the OCBC Arena Hall 2 last week as the 19-year-old national shuttler trained, but the impulse to dance is second nature to her. Before shuttlecocks and racquets began to dominate her life more than a decade ago, pigtails and tutus were most prominent in Liang's early childhood in the Jiangsu province of China. At the age of four, the only child of badminton coach Huajun and housewife Yang Lianhong was obsessed with dance after picking it up in kindergarten. But she switched to badminton three years later as she could not commit her time to both, but her passion for dancing - described by the late Austrian writer Vicki Baum as one of the short cuts to happiness - never faded. STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS My fitness needs work. And you cannot win against the top players by just rallying. You need to have that killer stroke to win the point and that's something I still lack. LIANG XIAOYU on coping with better players "I loved everything about it," said Liang. "Learning new moves, the beautiful dresses and performing on stage in front of a crowd." That ease with the spotlight was never more apparent this month when Liang produced a stunning upset to beat former world champion Ratchanok Intanon 22-20, 13-21, 21-17 in the semi-finals of the Thailand Open in Bangkok. The Singaporean was ranked 120th in the world and unseeded. But her Thai opponent was the world No. 8, the tournament's top seed and had the support of the home crowd. Noted Liang, who had never beaten Ratchanok, 20, in junior or senior events: "That was probably the best match I've ever played. "There were no easy points, with a lot of rallies but I stayed patient and it was a great result for me." Even her loss in the final to South Korean Sung Ji Hyun had a silver lining because it highlighted shortcomings in her game and physical condition which she had not identified before. It was the first time that Liang had advanced to a final at the senior level and she could not cope with playing five matches on consecutive days. She said: "My fitness needs work. And you cannot win against the top players by just rallying. "You need to have that killer stroke to win the point and that's something I still lack." Still, the former world No. 4 junior - identified by the Singapore Badminton Association as one of the country's most promising talents - is on an upward trajectory. Ranked 126th at the start of 2015, she is currently 85th in the world standings. A bronze medallist (mixed team) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2015 Singapore SEA Games (women's team), she is aiming to crack the top 50 by year-end while bidding to qualify for next year's Rio Olympics. But with compatriot Chen Jiayuan currently ranked higher at world No. 44 and only one qualifying spot in the women's singles likely up for grabs for Singapore, Liang is prepared to bide her time. "There's always Tokyo 2020 and by then I should be a better, more complete player," said Liang, who is competing in this week's Chinese Taipei Grand Prix. She beat Taiwanese Hung Shih-han 16-21, 21-17, 21-7 yesterday and faces top seed Kim Hyo Min of South Korea in today's quarter-finals. This relentless drive to improve can be traced back to her early struggles with her dance teacher, who had little patience when Liang and her fellow pupils failed to learn an elaborate dance sequence and scolded them. Twice, Liang returned home upset and cried before her parents. On the third day, however, her father told her sternly that she had made a commitment to learn dance and could not quit at the first sign of hardship. "I was so young but I still remember those words. "It was an important lesson for me and, after that, my attitude changed," Liang recalled. "Whether it was dance or later badminton, I wanted to give it everything I had, 100 per cent each time," she added. The lessons from dance, her first love, are guiding her steps to her next great passion.
Local businesses back Singapore Badminton Association with $500,000 pledge The Singapore Badminton Association received $500,000 in funds from a group of 23 local businesses on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2015.PHOTO: ST FILE Published 5 hours ago May Chen maychen@sph.com.sg SINGAPORE - The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) received a boost of $500,000 in cash on Tuesday, thanks to the backing of a group of 23 local businesses. Singapore-listed real estate developer OUE, also the title sponsor of the Singapore Open, was the biggest contributor with $200,000. The rest of the sum comes from businesses that include Charles & Keith, Scanteak and Jumbo Group of Restaurants. The funds were a result of fundraising efforts by Luke Lim, group chief executive officer of local branding company Louken Group. He said: "We firmly believe that a key part of doing business is giving back to the community and this is one way of doing just that. This is, hopefully, the start of a new movement in getting the business community together to support our local sports and its talents." SBA president Lee Yi Shyan was at a Community Fund Raiser Event at Temasek Club on Tuesday evening to receive the cheque from Lim. Proceeds of the launch of the book Brand Bull Run, launched on Tuesday evening at the event, will also go towards the SBA's player development programmes. Said Mr Lee, a Member of Parliament for East Coast GRC: "Together we hope more people will play badminton and more of our players will excel at international tournaments."
SBA to spare no expense on player development Singapore Badminton Association receives cheque of S$500,000 during Louken Group's Community Fund Raiser. Photo: Olivia Qua/Channel NewsAsia Bulk of S$500k donation will go towards training programmes By Noah Tan noahtanyw@mediacorp.com.sg - Published: 9:17 PM, October 20, 2015 Updated: 12:24 AM, October 21, 2015 SINGAPORE — The bulk of a S$500,000 donation received by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) today (Oct 20) will go towards the national team’s training allowances, as well as helping to fund the cost of sending players to overseas competitions, says association chief Lee Yi Shyan. This comes as the SBA continues to focus on the development of full-time local players, by allowing them to compete against the world’s top players in international tournaments. Their efforts recently bore fruit. At last week’s Badminton Asia Under-17 and Under-15 Championships in Indonesia, rising local shuttler Yeo Jia Min clinched the girls U-17 singles title, as well as the doubles crown with team-mate Crystal Wong. A week before those feats, national shuttler Liang Xiaoyu stunned former world champion Ratchanok Intanon 2-1 in the women’s singles semi-finals at the Thailand Open. Liang, 19, went on to clinch the silver medal after losing to South Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun in the final. SBA president Lee believes the immediate tasks facing his organisation are to help some of the senior players qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, while also ensuring that the junior players continue their upward developmental trajectory. “For the older players, we hope they continue to play well in the international circuit so some of them can qualify for the Olympics,” said Lee. “As for the younger players, we see some of them doing very well recently. But they’re still quite a distance away from the international world ranking to reach the competition next year. “But we can develop them for the next Olympics. In between, we’ll have many important tournaments, like the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the SEA Games, to sharpen their skills. So we have to make sure the younger players have more exposure and a good training regime to bring them to a level where they should be.” To that end, the SBA was given a huge boost today as it received a S$500,000 donation from Brand Growth and Communications company Louken Group, which organised the fundraising campaign. A total of 22 local companies took part in the fundraiser. Among them was listed real estate developer OUE Limited, which contributed $200,000. Other notable businesses that made a contribution include Charles & Keith, Serial System Ltd, Sunray Woodcraft Construction and Best World International Ltd. The cheque presentation ceremony was conducted at the Temasek Club, where the Community Fundraiser Event was held in conjunction with the Brand Bull Run book pre-launch, with proceeds from the sales also being donated to SBA’s player development programmes. “We wanted to create a movement for our local business community to support local sports,” said Luke Lim, group chief executive officer of Louken Group. “It took less than a month to raise the amount. Badminton is a very popular racquet game, and I see a good future with the Singapore team, so that’s why we came together to support the association.” Revealing that the SBA ran a deficit every year, despite receiving funding from Sport Singapore, Lee added that he hoped the sport would receive more donations and sponsorships from the corporate sectors. “The money we received tonight will go a long way to help our players to excel,” he said. “We’re very happy with the result of the fundraising, and we hope that badminton, which is already very popular among our population, can gain momentum among our corporate sectors and SMEs. “We have a small talent pool to work with, so we have to make sure that training given to them is the best, so they develop continuously. “We are not like larger countries where they have a bigger talent pool, so we’ll have to expose them to international competitions more, and all this cost lots of money.”
Another blow for Singapore Badminton as Chayut calls it a day Doubles specialist Chayut Triyachart has *decided to hang up his racket after eight years with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA). http://http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/another-blow-for/2234928.html
Another blow for Badminton as Chayut calls it a day Danny Chrisnanta and Chayut Triyachart of Singapore in action in thier men's doubles match against Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Chopra of India in the Mixed Team Bronze medal final at Emirates Arena on July 28, 2014 in Glasgow. Photo: Getty Images Exit leaves men’s team with just 3 senior players By Low Lin Fhoong linfhoong@mediacorp.com.sg Published: 11:01 PM, November 2, 2015 Updated: 12:17 AM, November 3, 2015 SINGAPORE — Already depleted by a spate of player retirements, the Singapore national badminton team have been dealt yet another blow. Doubles specialist Chayut Triyachart has decided to hang up his racket after eight years with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA). The 26-year-old had suffered a partial tear in his Achilles tendon in July, and made the decision to quit professional badminton after struggling to recover from his injury. According to the SBA, Chayut — who won the mixed doubles bronze medal with Yao Lei at the 2010 Commonwealth Games — was also unable to commit to the full-time training schedule required for its national shuttlers. The news will come as a blow to the national squad, who have lost a number of senior players to retirement in recent years, including men’s team members Ashton Chen, Terry Yeo and 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist (mixed team) Huang Chao. The women’s team were not spared either, with 2010 Singapore Open champion Yao Lei (women’s doubles), former world No 16 Gu Juan and 2011 SEA Games gold medallist (women’s singles) Fu Mingtian also throwing in the towel. The players cited a variety of reasons for quitting the sport, including academic studies, injuries and a lack of motivation. The SBA’s coaching set-up has also seen numerous changes, with Chua Yong Joo appointed its new chief coach in July — the fourth senior coaching staff member hired in the past five years. Chayut, who was born in Udon Thani, Thailand, joined the SBA full-time in April 2007 before leaving in January 2013 to pursue his business interests. Lured by his love of the sport, he rejoined the SBA 10 months later. The 2014 season proved to be a rewarding one for the shuttler and his men’s doubles partner, Danny Bawa Chrisnanta, with the Singaporean pair winning the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold and Macau Open, before following it up with two bronze medals in the men’s doubles and men’s team at the 2015 SEA Games. Known for his aggression and power smashes on court, Chayut’s retirement will leave the 11-strong men’s squad with just three senior players — Derek Wong, Danny, and Hendra Wijaya. While the loss of their doubles specialist will be a blow to the team’s hopes of qualifying players for next year’s Olympics, SBA director of team administration Chew Keet Hou said yesterday: “SBA has been placing much emphasis on grooming younger players since the establishment of the National Intermediate Squad (NIS) in 2011.” Pointing to the recent achievements of its younger players — Loh Kean Yew’s men’s singles bronze at the SEA Games, Yeo Jiamin’s two golds at the Asia Junior Under-17 championships — Chew said: “We have been seeing some achievements from these young players from NIS recently. Our Olympic Games’ preparation plan is still *intact. We are fighting for qualification in three main events — men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles. Danny is currently focusing on his mixed doubles pairing with Vanessa Neo in a bid to qualify.” Despite the setback, former *national shuttler Chen is confident that Singapore badminton will be able to bounce back. “Chayut’s retirement is a loss for the team as he is one of the senior players, and you lose a chance at the Olympics, which is only eight or nine months away, so it is a pity. There are very few senior players left but it’s up to the younger generation to catch up. I hope they can close the gap.”
Hah! News that he is injured, can still play? Probably some internal stuff. Anyway, big loss. Then again, the last few mths not much of a breakthrough for the seniors...either they are not being sent for overseas tournament or lost in the qualifying rounds... Looks like there is room to fall further..
Singapore's performance at the World Junior Team Championships 2015 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]4 Nov [/TD] [TD]4 Nov [/TD] [TD]5 Nov [/TD] [TD]6 Nov [/TD] [TD]7 Nov [/TD] [TD]7 Nov [/TD] [TD]8 Nov [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Player/Team [/TD] [TD]Peru 5-0 [/TD] [TD]Guyana 5-0 [/TD] [TD]Chile 5-0 [/TD] [TD]Indonesia (3/4) 1-4 [/TD] [TD]Spain (9/16) 3-1 [/TD] [TD]Korea (2) 1-3 [/TD] [TD]Germany (9/16) 3-2 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]XD [/TD] [TD]Elaine Chua/ Jason Wong (3-1) [/TD] [TD]21-12 21-18 (25m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-5 21-8 (15m) [/TD] [TD]19-21 21-10 20-22 (53m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]22-24 12-21 17-21 (40m) [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Chuang Jin Lei/ Deline Quek (1-0) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-15 21-9 (20m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Lee Jian Liang/ Crystal Wong (0-1) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-18 20-22 17-21 (36m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Elaine Chua/ Loh Kean Yew (1-0) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-19 21-12 (28m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]MS [/TD] [TD]Loh Kean Yew (4-1) [/TD] [TD]21-12 21-8 (21m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-5 21-11 (16m) [/TD] [TD]10-21 14-21 (34m) [/TD] [TD]21-9 21-14 (21m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-12 21-12 (22m) [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Ryan Ng (1-1) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-4 21-3 (16m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-13 19-21 20-22 (48m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]WS [/TD] [TD]Yeo Jiamin (3-1) [/TD] [TD]21-8 21-13 (24m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-3 21-2 (13m) [/TD] [TD]14-21 14-21 (29m) [/TD] [TD]17-21 21-18 21-13 (43m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Ong Ren-Ne (0-1) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]WO [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]16-21 16-21 (33m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Deline Quek (0-1) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]17-21 20-22 (29m) [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]MD [/TD] [TD]Lee Jian Liang/ Ryan Ng (1-0) [/TD] [TD]21-15 21-13 (21m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Lee Jian Liang/ Jason Wong (1-2) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-9 21-6 (16m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]11-21 19-21 (35m) [/TD] [TD]19-21 17-21 (28m) [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Ryan Ng/ Jason Wong (2-1) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]21-5 21-5 (17m) [/TD] [TD]18-21 15-21 (29m) [/TD] [TD]21-18 21-19 (23m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]WD [/TD] [TD]Ong Ren-Ne/ Crystal Wong (1-0) [/TD] [TD]21-7 21-12 (19m) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Elaine Chua/ Crystal Wong (3-0) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD]WO [/TD] [TD]21-5 21-3 (14m) [/TD] [TD]21-17 22-20 (30m) [/TD] [TD]NA [/TD] [TD]NA [/TD] [TD]21-17 21-13 (24m) [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] The performance of our team is summarized and tabulated above. Singapore was placed 10th in the last tournament but might have dropped one place to 11th this year, pending official announcement However, this is a good exposure for our juniors who had the opportunity to cross swords with a variety of foreign players from both traditional and non-traditional badminton nations in less than a week. Our youngsters will graduate to the senior ranks and continue to carry our Singapore flag in due course. In total, Singapore played 7 countries, won against 5 and lost 2. But Singapore have some way to go to equal the standards of other Asian countries. We continue to trail behind our Southeast Asian counterparts that participated, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. And they will continue to improve as Singapore will do the same. So long as the passion, commitment and hard work remain with our youngsters, there is no reason why they can't improve. And the SBA now has more means to support them. All the best to our juniors in the Individual events!
From the results, it seems our WD pair of Elaine and Crystal had done very well, winning all 3 matches they played in. They even won against highly-regarded Indonesia, the only point salvaged for Singapore. [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Marsheille Gischa Islami [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Rahmadhani Hastiyanti Putri [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Yi Ling Elaine Chua [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jia Ying Crystal Wong [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]17-21 20-22 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:30 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] In that match too, our XD was unlucky to lose marginally in 3 games, 19-21, 21-10, 20-22 in 53 min. [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Mychelle Crhystine Bandaso [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Yantoni Edy Saputra Saputra [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Yi Ling Elaine Chua [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Guang Liang Jason Wong [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]19-21 21-10 22-20 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:53 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Elaine Chua was featured in both matches, so her contributions had been significant. Next came Loh Kean Yew with 4 wins and 1 loss. But LKY was no match for Indonesia's talented Firman, who wrapped up their match in 34 min: [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Firman Abdul Kholik [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Kean Yew Loh [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-10 21-14 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:34 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Firman has a good chance to win the MS Individual gold against China's Lin Guipu. But upsets from others can't be ruled out. WS Yeo Jiamin comes next with a 3-1 result. Jiamin also faced difficulty in overcoming Indonesia's Gregoria. Like Firman, Gregoria may be able to upset China's He Bingjiao for the WS Individual gold. [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Gregoria Mariska Tunjung [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jiamin Yeo [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-14 21-14 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:29 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Her absence in the last two matches against Korea and Germany was a cause of concern. I hope she is not injured and missed the Individual events. Our MD pair of Ryan Ng and Jason Wong also showed promise with a 2-1 record: [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Zin Rei Ryan Ng [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Guang Liang Jason Wong [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR] [TD][CHI] [/TD] [TD]Diego Castillo [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][CHI] [/TD] [TD]Alonso Medel [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-5 21-5 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:17 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Yahya Adi Kumara [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Yantoni Edy Saputra Saputra [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Zin Rei Ryan Ng [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Guang Liang Jason Wong [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-18 21-15 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:29 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Zin Rei Ryan Ng [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Guang Liang Jason Wong [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][ESP] [/TD] [TD]Manuel Brea [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][ESP] [/TD] [TD]Alejo Javier Ibeas [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-18 21-19 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:23 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] It has to be remembered that Singapore brought our juniors to experience the exposure to international competition in faraway Peru, in a different time zone, apart from trying to win matches. Therefore we may not have the best players for every match. But we could perhaps better expose the weaker players to the traditionally weak countries like those in South America and save the better players for the more demanding matches against those higher ranked than us. Indonesia and Korea come to mind. And we should also respect countries which are of about the same standing like Spain and Germany.
Yeo Jia Min giving a walkover in the Individual WS My earlier fears that Yeo Jiamin might have been injured during the team events probably came true. She has pulled out from the individual WS by giving a walkover to her opponent. What a disappointment for her! Hope she will have a speedy recovery. [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]WS [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Andrea Montero [/TD] [TD][CHI] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jia Min Yeo [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]Walkover [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] There were ups and downs among the other members of the Singapore team: Winners: [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]XD [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Jian Liang Lee [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Jia Ying Crystal Wong [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][PER] [/TD] [TD]Daniel La Torre Regal [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][PER] [/TD] [TD]Daniela Macias [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-16 21-17 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:24 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]WS [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"]Ren-Ne Ong [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][CHI] [/TD] [TD]Loreto Pontigo [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-4 21-3 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:12 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"][/TD] [TD]MS [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Zin Rei Ryan Ng [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][CAN] [/TD] [TD]Clement Chi Hin Chow [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]26-24 21-14 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:24 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]XD [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Guang Liang Jason Wong [10] [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Yi Ling Elaine Chua [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][CAN] [/TD] [TD]Jason Anthony Ho-Shue [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][CAN] [/TD] [TD]Qingzi Ouyang [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]23-21 21-11 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:21 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]MS [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Kean Yew Loh [13] [/TD] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][IND] [/TD] [TD]Ansal Yadav [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-17 21-11 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:27 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Those who were defeated: [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]XD [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Dong Weijie [/TD] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Zhou Chaomin [/TD] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jin Lei Chuang [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Ren-Ne Ong [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-15 21-12 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:24 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]WS [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Devi Yunita Indah Sari [/TD] [TD][INA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Chun Yi Deline Quek [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-12 21-10 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:26 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"][/TD] [TD]MS [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Chia Hao Lee [/TD] [TD][TPE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jin Lei Chuang [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-11 21-8 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:23 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"][/TD] [TD]XD [/TD] [TD="align: right"] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Thom Gicquel [13] [/TD] [TD][FRA] [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Delphine Delrue [/TD] [TD][FRA] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]- [/TD] [TD] [TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jian Liang Lee [/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Jia Ying Crystal Wong [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-17 21-16 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]0:30 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] There are many more rounds to play until the finals on Sunday. Our WD got a bye and the event starts only today: [SIN] Yi Ling Elaine Chua [14] [SIN] Jia Ying Crystal Wong
Sadly, Singapore has only one sole survival to contest today: [TABLE="class: cms_table_ruler cms_table_matches"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD="align: right"][TABLE="class: cms_table"] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD="align: right"]Chia Hao Lee[/TD] [TD][TPE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]-[/TD] [TD][TABLE="class: cms_table"] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][SIN] [/TD] [TD]Kean Yew Loh [13][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
ASEAN Para Games: Singapore shuttlers go up against regional powerhouses Tay Wei Ming and Teddy Wong will compete in the SU5 category which is considered to be the nearest to able-bodied standards. By Olivia Quay POSTED: 09 Nov 2015 23:44 Photo: AFP/Jonathan Nackstrand SINGAPORE: It is less than a month to the ASEAN Para Games, which Singapore is hosting for the first time from Dec 3 to Dec 9. Among the sports the country will participate in is badminton. The para-sport observes the same rules set by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), but has six classifications for para-athletes. Two national para-athletes who will compete in the Sport Class SU5 category are Tay Wei Ming and Teddy Wong. Both of them were born with Erb’s palsy, a paralysis of the arm caused by nerve damage. SU5 is a classification for players with upper limb impairments and is considered to be nearest to able-bodied standards. It is also a class higher than what 27-year-old Tay used to compete in. "I'm really excited for this upcoming Games and I hope to do my best," he said. Hopefully, (I will) bring back a bronze medal for Singapore. The powerhouses for my category, like Malaysia, Indonesia, will be coming for this competition. So we have much tougher competition." Tay is entering his fourth Para Games. The two-time gold medallist previously competed in the Sport Class SL4 - for players with lower-limb impairment and moderate difficulty in movement. By climbing to SU5, he will be up against players with milder disabilities, and that is the main reason he does not expect a third gold this time. Wong’s expectations are modest as well, as the 35-year-old is making his Para Games debut. Said Simon Koh, the Singapore badminton team’s head coach: "As a player, it’s not just about medals. It’s how much they put in effort and how much they're able to succeed. We also don’t want to pressure him too much, so we just let him take it one step at a time, and see how much he can do and perform to his expectations." Five players - all men - will represent Singapore at the Para Games in badminton. The team hopes the competition will raise awareness of para-badminton, and bring in women and wheelchair players. - CNA/ms
Shy teen's wins speak volumes ST Star of the Month Yeo Jia Min, 16, with F&N Foods general manager Jennifer See (left) and ST's deputy sports editor Lee Yulin. Photo: The Straits Times The Straits Times | May Chen | Sunday, Nov 22, 2015 She speaks so softly that over an hour-long lunch, Yeo Jia Min - jetlagged after a long flight home from Peru and recovering from a nasty bout of gastric flu - constantly but patiently repeats herself to a table full of inquisitive strangers. Slightly hesitant, the national badminton player reveals she is a fan of Korean variety show Running Man.She has watched enough episodes to be conversant in the language herself. In between giggles, she tells you she likes to sing. Probe further to find out what songs she fancies, and all you get from the bashful teenager is a brief "anything". It is when the topic shifts to badminton that one gets a sense of the kind of focused fervour that drives the 16-year-old on court. As top seed at the Badminton Asia Under-17 Junior Championships last month in Indonesia, Jia Min dispatched home favourite Sri Fatmawate 21-15, 21-13 to lift the singles title, becoming the first Singaporean to triumph on this stage. Barely an hour later, she was back on court at the Stadium Gor Djarum Jati in Kudus, Central Java, this time celebrating the doubles title with partner Crystal Wong.They beat Japan's Natsu Saito and Rumi Yoshida 21-18, 21-18. For her achievements, Jia Min earned The Straits Times' Star of the Month award for October. The accolade is an extension of ST's Athlete of the Year award, which was launched in 2008. Both are backed by F&N's 100Plus. Said ST's deputy sports editor Lee Yulin: "Some athletes struggle to cope with the burden of expectation. It is heartening to see that Jia Min does not. "The fact that she won twice in a day, and beat a player backed by the home crowd on top of that, bodes well for her future. "Going into the same tournament where she was joint-third last year and the U-15 singles winner in 2013, Jia Min had the burden of expectations weighing on her petite frame.But having just recovered from an injury that kept her out of action for about a month this year, she admitted that she was not in the best state of mind. No wonder this victory has done wonders for her. Said the teenager: "This tournament gave me more confidence. "I feel like it was a breakthrough for me. "It wasn't very easy because I had many difficult matches but I managed to pull through in the end." With the loss of several senior shuttlers in recent years, Jia Min's rise is a welcome and timely one for the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA).Said national chief coach Chua Yong Joo: "Jia Min is a disciplined athlete who knows what she wants from training. "She still has a long way to go to become a world-class player but she has great potential and has proven herself. "She will definitely be an integral part of our team in the future. "Next year, Jia Min will be pencilled in for more senior-level tournaments, no longer just competing alongside her peers but also the best in the business. It will mean a big jump in intensity, against opponents who have vastly greater experience and superior skills. The biggest challenge, she said, will be the test of her mental fortitude. At this point, towards the end of the conversation, there is no hesitation, no humming or hawing. "Now, I feel quite confident of breaking through on the international circuit one day," she said."This was a small stepping stone to bigger tournaments next time."This shuttler speaks softly, but then again, all she needs is for her feats on court to speak for her. - See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/sports/shy-teens-wins-speak-volumes#sthash.P2LutatW.dpuf
Jovenn shuttles ahead in just three years 8th ASEAN Para Games Keen badminton player Jovenn Siow, who was born with cerebral palsy, will make his ASEAN Para Games debut next week. Photo: Robin Choo Para-badminton player impresses coach with swift skill improvement By Adelene Wong - adelenewong@mediacorp.com.sg - Published: 4:20 AM, November 28, 2015 The 8th ASEAN Para Games will be held here from Dec 3-9, with some 1,500 athletes from 10 countries competing for honours. As Team Singapore readies for the battle on home ground, TODAY takes a closer look at each of the 15 sports that will be contested, and the inspirational stories behind the local athletes participating in them. The focus today is on badminton. SINGAPORE — Jovenn Siow does not pretend he is normal, nor does he take pains to hide the fact he is different. He appreciates empathy from others, but cringes at deliberate acts of sympathy. “Don’t just give in to me because I’m different,” said the 17-year-old, who was born with cerebral palsy and walks with a limp. “I feel uncomfortable when people do that.” Case in point: Whenever the first-year student at ITE College Central plays badminton with his father and brother, he realises that they always “let” him win. “I know that I have a disability. I can feel the love, and I am grateful,” said Jovenn, who will be making his ASEAN Para Games debut next week in the men’s singles and team events (SL4). “During badminton games with my father and brother, sometimes, I noticed they try to give in to me. I’d rather they don’t do that.” Last month, his opponent in the men’s team event at the Inter-Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Games did not give in, and Jovenn was beaten. But he learnt that even a defeat can end in exhilaration. “I was the only player with a disability in that competition,” he said proudly. “I lost that match but I gave a good fight and the scores were close. I think that surprised some people.” Jovenn has been making a habit of surprising people since Singapore’s para-badminton coach Simon Koh spotted the scrawny teen playing badminton with his family at SAFRA Tampines three years ago. Koh was impressed enough to invite him to join the national team. “He has a lot of fighting spirit, works hard and has sound skills,” the coach said. “I see a lot of potential in Jovenn. So far, in all the competitions he has been to, he has done well. This will be his first APG, and I advised him to take one step at a time. Hopefully, he will inspire more young para shuttlers to join the team.” But Koh did not expect Jovenn to take the local para-badminton scene by storm, with the youngster winning singles titles in the Under-17 boys age-group at the National Disability League badminton competition in 2013, and again this year. “With hard work, anyone can do well,” said the student, who trains five times a week, including a session every Sunday by a private coach. “I am grateful for all the people around me who have been supporting me in my badminton so far. My mates from my school team have all been helping me out in my preparation for the APG, too.” Coach Koh is looking to narrow the gap between Singapore and the powerhouses of China and Malaysia, and injecting young talents such as Jovenn into the squad is key to his plans. He is also looking at getting female players to join the side. A wheelchair badminton team has also begun training, but will not be competing at this year’s APG. While Jovenn will be making his debut as a member of Singapore’s five-man badminton team, he can count on the experience and guidance of two-time APG champion Tay Wei Ming. “A lot of junior players may lose confidence or motivation along the way, so I try to be a role model to them in terms of continuously putting in hard work,” said Tay, 27, who has a new doubles partner in APG debutant Teddy Wong. “Then they will perhaps see that, hey, this is what Wei Ming is doing, so if he can do it, why can’t I? “I will definitely try to get a medal at this year’s APG. It will be a tough challenge though, as one has to understand that for para-badminton, the best players are in South-east Asia. “My ultimate dream is the Paralympics in 2020 (para-badminton will feature in the Paralympics for the first time then). I have been waiting for this to happen, and I am hoping to keep building up towards that.” In Badminton, players who compete in wheelchairs fall under the Sport class of “WH”, and athletes who stand while competing, and use their lower limb or upper limb falls under the prefix “SL”, and “SU” respectively. Sport Class WH1 • Impairment in upper limbs or trunk and in lower limbs Sport Class WH2 • Lower limb impairment Sport Class SL3 • Lower limb impairment and marked difficulty in movement Sport Class SL4 • Lower limb impairment and with moderate difficulty in movement Sport Class SU5 • Upper limb impairment Sport Class SU6 • Short stature Tournament Rules Badminton for athletes with disabilities consists of the same rules and regulations set forth by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) with a few modifications added in consideration of specific physical disabilities. Singles matches for players in wheelchairs are limited to one half of the court due to limited reach, but doubles matches use the full court as with regular badminton. In wheelchair badminton, players must ensure that some part of his torso is in contact with the seat of the wheelchair when striking. The player’s feet should maintain contact with the foothold while the shuttlecock is in play and must not come in contact with the floor. In addition, the foothold propping up the player’s feet cannot come in contact with the floor while the shuttlecock is in play. Players cannot use their legs for support, and are prohibited from using their hands to prop up their body right before or during contact with the shuttlecock. Team Singapore’s para-badminton team at 8th APG: Jovenn Siow, Tay Wei Ming, Kelvin Pung, Bobby Lee, Teddy Wong THE GAMES ON MEDIACORP: On okto: * Dec 3: Opening ceremony ‘LIVE’ at 8pm * Dec 4-9: Daily action belt, 8-10pm * Daily Highlights, ‘LIVE’, 10-10.30pm On Toggle * Visit Toggle.sg/APG2015
School's out, but shuttler Liang in contention for Rio Olympics Liang Xiaoyu. PHOTO: ST Shuttler Liang in contention for Rio Games after dropping out of school to improve her game http://www.tnp.sg/sports/all-other-sports/schools-out-shuttler-liang-contention-rio-olympics The New Paper Online Nov 21, 2015 6:00am By LIM SAY HENG Seven months ago, shuttler Liang Xiaoyu was struggling with bad health and her game suffered too. The 19-year-old had just started her Republic Polytechnic Sports and Leisure Management course after finishing her studies at the Singapore Sports School, and was finding it hard to juggle studies and training. "I stay in Marsiling and take about 90 minutes to get to my training at the Sports Hub, and then I had to come back to the Sports School for lessons in the evening," said Xiaoyu after training at the Woodlands-based school yesterday. The OCBC Arena, which is the national shuttlers' training ground, is now being prepped for the Asean Para Games next month. The daily commute took a toll on her, as she was unable to rest properly after training and started to fall sick frequently. She lost in the first round of the women's singles qualifiers at the OUE Singapore Open in April, and exited the quarter-finals of the South-east Asia Games in June in the same event. DEFERRED STUDIES Xiaoyu deferred her studies several times, before she decided to stop school completely several weeks ago to focus on her training. "The RP programme is already the best an athlete can ask for if you want to balance both sports and studies but, in the end, I wanted to focus on my badminton for now because I feel that I am at a good age to improve significantly," said the shuttler, ranked 48th in the Olympic qualifying ranking. She fretted over the decision for "a long time", and her parents - who hoped that she could balance both badminton and studies - gave their blessings after seeing how she failed to cope. Since dropping out of school, Xiaoyu has improved significantly on court. She beat former world champion Ratchanok Intanon at the Thailand Open women's singles semi-finals last month before losing to South Korea's then-world No. 7 Sung Ji Hyun in the final. She won the women's singles title at the Maybank Malaysia International Challenge Championships last Sunday. Xiaoyu said: "I feel that I have improved when it comes to on-court strategy, and I am in better physical condition to train since I'm resting better in between training sessions. "In the past, I would blow hot and cold in competitions, but now, I feel that my performances are more consistent, regardless of the results." National coach Chua Yong Joo added: "Xiaoyu has been able to focus better in training as well, and she's matured on court in terms of her shot selection and strategy." Her recent performances have also seen her shoot up the world rankings: she was 120th at the start of last month. Importantly, she is also in the reckoning for a spot in the Olympic women's singles event next year, with teammate Chen Jiayuan placed 64th in the Olympic qualifying ranking. "I always try to do well in my competitions, and it wasn't to qualify for the Olympics in particular, said Xiaoyu, who previously said that her target was Tokyo 2020. "It would be great if I do make it next year, but anything can happen since we are only halfway through the qualifying window, and I am not going to change my training and competition plan." (NOTE: As of 23 Dec 2015, BWF World Rankings: Liang Xiaoyu (43), Chen Jiayuan (47). - See more at: http://www.tnp.sg/sports/all-other-...-contention-rio-olympics#sthash.iDXH46E6.dpuf
