UK Sport

All England Badminton gets underway

BAOFE 07 March 2001

THE ALL England Open Badminton Championship gets underway today at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The event has attracted an extremely high-quality field, and includes 17 of the 24 medallists from the Sydney Olympics.

In the men’s singles China’s Ji Xinpeng, reigning Olympic champion, will face stiff competition from compatriot Xia Xuanze - the defending champion and Olympic Bronze medallist. Peter Gade from Denmark, current world number one, will start as one of the favourites, and last year’s runner-up, Taufik Hidayat, will be hoping to go one better than in 2000.

Indonesian Olympic Gold medallists Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan recently ended their partnership, which could lead to fireworks on court in the men’s doubles should they meet. The Koreans will mount a strong challenge - defending champions and Olympic Bronze medallists Ha Tae-Kwon and Kim Dong-Moon will be in Birmingham along with the Olympic Silver medallists Lee Dong-Soo and Yoo Yong-Sung. Meanwhile the British pairing of Simon Archer and Nathan Robertson, ranked 8 in the world, is expected to do well.

IN THE mixed doubles all the Sydney Olympic medallists take part – except for Britain’s Jo Goode who recently announced that she was pregnant and taking a short break from the sport. The event gives the new English National Champions Simon Archer and Gail Emms the chance to prove themselves on the world stage. They will be tested fully by the Olympic Gold medallists Zhang Jun and Gao Ling from China, the current world number one pairing of Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen from Denmark, and the defending champions Kim Dong-Moon and Ra Kyung-Min from Korea.

Gong Zhichao, the Olympic Gold medallist and defending champion from China, and world number one and Olympic Silver medallist Camilla Martin from Denmark are expected to dominate proceedings in the ladies’ singles. Six-time English National Champion Julia Mann and recent Spanish Open Title winner Tracey Hallam will provide the home interest.

The ladies’ doubles field is as open as it has been for years. British hopes rest with Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg who partner each other for the first time. Kellogg is still ranked 4 in the world but has not played since the Olympics due to a persistent foot injury.

The event runs from March 7 – 11 at the NIA.

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