Veterans Eye Seniors Gold – BWF World Senior Championships 2015

Veterans Eye Seniors Gold – BWF World Senior Championships 2015

Former World champion Peter Rasmussen cruised into the quarter-finals of the Men’s Singles +40 category at the BWF World Senior Championships 2015 yesterday in Sweden.

The Dane is among a host of well-known badminton personalities participating in the biennial tournament which began on Sunday at Helsingborg Arena.

After a bye in round one, top seed Rasmussen came through the second and third rounds comfortably before facing Sweden’s Fredrik Bohlin for a spot in the quarter-finals. He acquitted himself equally well in that encounter, winning 21-5 21-9. Today he will battle Gerben Bruijstens of the Netherlands for a place in the semi-finals.

“I felt ok. I never played him before, but it was ok, good feeling. It’s quite fun and the speed was ok,” said Rasmussen following the match, adding that he’s enjoying the tournament.

In Men’s Doubles +40, top seeds Harijanto Arbi and Tri Kusharjanto (featured image) are through to the last eight also. The Indonesians play Jens Eriksen/Gregers Schytt of Denmark to determine who advances to the semi-finals.

“It’s not so easy but we hope to be the champions of course,” declared Kusharjanto, who triumphed in the +35 age group with Arbi at the 2013 Senior Championships.

“It’s a good tournament and we feel comfortable here.”

Meanwhile, Women’s Singles +70 World champion, Renate Gabriel (left) romped into the knockout phase from her round-robin group when she earned her second victory in as many matches. The German title-holder swept past Ann-Louise Wiklund of Finland, 21-7 21-8, having already beaten Beryl Goodall of England, 19-21 21-17 21-13. Gabriel advanced to the semi-finals to face the three other round-robin winners.

Others who have been in the thick of battle this week include two-time World champion and Olympic gold medallist, Tony Gunawan (Indonesia; now USA); 1983 World champion Jesper Helledie and his Danish compatriot, Anders Boesen; England’s Nick Ponting; and Indonesians, Jeffer Rosobin and Flandy Limpele (below; with Tony Gunawan).

A total of 1302 athletes from 48 countries entered the popular tournament whose seventh edition is being hosted by Badminton Sweden. Competitors are vying for the title of World champion in age-group categories ranging from +35 to +70 in both singles and the three doubles events.

Helsingborg Arena – Sweden

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Further details and all results can be found here: BWF World Senior Championships 2015.

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