“We will come back stronger,” – brave and encouraging words from team manager Lu Sida after China’s failure to retain the mixed team title in the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Jakarta.
In the same breath Sida pointed out that China is determined not to return home empty handed in the Pembanguna Jaya Raya Badminton Asia Junior Championships and hope to get it right in the individual events which began on Wednesday.
“China hope to win one of two gold medals in the individual events,” said Sida.
At the last SCG Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Bangkok the mighty Chinese swept all – retaining the mixed team title for the fourth time and made a clean sweep of all the individual titles – the men’s and women’s singles, the men’s and women’s doubles and the mixed doubles.
This year, however, China were not even seeded in the mixed team event but were also ranked a low ninth with eventual champions South Korea as the top seeds, followed by Indonesia (No 2 seeds), Thailand (No 3) and Malaysia at No 4.
China reached the quarter-finals but were soundly beaten 3-0 by Japan for a place in the last four. Korea won the title after defeating Indonesia 3-2 in the final.
“We knew what was coming because we came with a weak team with some of the players playing in their first international tournament. To make the quarter-finals was an achievement itself.
“It is a good exposure and experience for the young players. They gave their best and we are happy with what we achieved in here,” said Sida.
“We may have lost in the mixed team but we still have hope in the individual events. Our target is to win one of two individual titles although we have to face strong challenge from players from other teams like Korea, Japan, India, Thailand and Indonesia.”
Sida also revealed that the present team in Jakarta competing in Asian meet is also virtually the team that will compete in the Junior World Championships in the Indonesian city of Jogjakarta in October.
“We may make one or two changes for the world meet but there will not be a major change,” added Sida. – BADMINTON ASIA
