Hong Kong’s Chan Ho Yuen inflicted on Kim Jungjun his first ever defeat in Men’s Singles Wheelchair WH 2, beating the Korean great 21-14 18-21 21-13 at the Australia Para-Badminton International 2018 today.
Kim had won all his singles matches in international para-badminton since his debut; this year he won the Spanish and Thailand Internationals besides the Asian Para Games, beating Chan Ho Yuen in all three finals. After losing in straight games in Spain, Chan (featured image) got steadily closer, taking Kim to three games in Thailand and the Asian Para Games, before breaking the jinx in Australia today with a 21-14 18-21 21-13 result.
“It’s a good ending for 2018 and a good sign for next year as the Tokyo 2020 (Paralympics) qualification will start. My historic win means that now the level of para-badminton has risen. No one can be sure of a win, and everyone has an equal chance now,” said an ecstatic Chan Ho Yuen.
A short while earlier, Kim Jungjun and Kim Seung Suk had won the Mixed Doubles WH 1 – WH 2 final beating Japan’s Hiroshi Murayama/Rie Ogura 11-21 21-14 21-18. Kim did manage to put his singles loss behind him for the Men’s Doubles, in which he and Choi Jung Man got the better of Amir Levi (Israel) and David Toupe (France) 21-8 21-17. Choi also won a double, as he triumphed in the Men’s Singles WH 1 over Hiroshi Murayama 21-16 21-12.
Others to win a double title were Indonesia’s Dwiyoko Dwiyoko, Leani Ratri Oktila and Fredy Setiawan, and Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Yim.
Oktila failed in her three-title bid, as she lost the last match of the day (Women’s Singles SL 4 + SU 5) to Japan’s Ayako Suzuki 21-17 21-18.
Earlier, she won the Women’s Doubles (SL 3 – SU 5) with Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko and the Mixed Doubles (SL 3 – SU 5) with Dwiyoko Dwiyoko.
India’s Pramod Bhagat won the Men’s Singles SL 3 over Indonesia’s Ukun Rukaendi, 21-16 21-18. Bhagat and Sukant Kadam however fell in the final of the Men’s Doubles SL 3 – SL 4 to Dwiyoko and Setiawan in the most tightly fought match of the tournmament: 25-23 22-24 22-20.
Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho captured the Men’s Singles SU 5 title over Japan’s Taiyo Imai, 14-21 22-20 21-10, while India’s Manasi Girishchandra Joshi was triumphant in Women’s Singles SL 3, beating Japan’s Noriko Ito 21-13 21-12.
In the Short Stature (SS 6) category, Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Yim won the Men’s Singles crown over compatriot Chu Man Kai, 11-21 21-15 21-14.
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