China stormed to four gold medals at the FISU World University Games in Chengdu, completing a near-whitewash after they were surprised in the Mixed Team final last week by Chinese Taipei.
The only gold medal that eluded them was in mixed doubles, with Ye Hong Wei/Lee Chia Hsin beating Lee Fang Chih/Teng Chun Hsun in an all-Chinese Taipei final.
World No.266 Wang Zheng Xing, who’d lost his match in the Mixed Team final, made amends by taking the men’s singles gold over Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul. The Thai had narrow leads in both games, but his opponent shot past him 21-16 21-14 in 40 minutes.
In women’s singles, world No.9 Han Yue ran through the draw without dropping a game. Han’s hardest match was in the quarterfinals against Lalinrat Chaiwan, whom she beat 21-17 22-20. She then dismissed Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Wen Chi in the semifinals and Korea’s Kim Ga Ram in the final, 21-9 21-13.
Mixed doubles winners Ye Hong Wei and Lee Chia Hsin.
“I put all my strength into the final and I have prepared for all possible difficulties, including losing the match or a game,” Han told media.
“It is a great honour for me to participate in the University Games when I’m still in college. I regard it as a valuable experience,” said Han, who studies at Tongji University.
The men’s doubles and women’s doubles finals were all-China affairs.
Ren Xiang Yu/Tan Qiang beat compatriots Zhou Hao Dong/He Ji Ting for the men’s doubles gold, winning 23-21 21-16 in 33 minutes. The women’s doubles final was the closest match of the day, with Li Wen Mei/Liu Xuan Xuan overcoming Xia Yu Ting/Du Yue 18-21 21-19 21-14.
Japan’s Machi Nagasako/Moe Aoki and Thailand’s Chasinee Korepap/Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat were the losing women’s doubles semifinalists who took bronze, while Malaysia’s Liew Xun/Wong Tien Ci and Chinese Taipei’s Lee Fang Chih/Po Li Wei won bronze in men’s doubles.
MEDALLISTS
Men’s Singles
1. Wang Zheng Xing (CHN)
2. Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (THA)
3. Toma Noda (JPN), Ko Shing Hei (KOR)
Women’s Singles
1. Han Yue (CHN)
2. Kim Ga Ram (KOR)
3. Hsu Wen Chi (TPE), Zhang Yi Man (CHN)
Men’s Doubles
1. Ren Xiang Yu/Tan Qiang (CHN)
2. Zhou Hao Dong/He Ji Ting (CHN)
3. Liew Xun/Wong Tien Ci (MAS); Lee Fang Chih/Po Li Wei (TPE)
Women’s Doubles
1. Li Wen Mei/Liu Xuan Xuan
2. Xia Yu Ting/Du Yue
3. Machi Nagasako/Moe Aoki (JPN), Chasinee Korepap/Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat (THA)
Mixed Doubles
1. Ye Hong Wei/Lee Chia Hsin (TPE)
2. Lee Fang Chih/Teng Chun Hsun (TPE)
3. Yuto Takiguchi/Rio Uemura (JPN); Ji Young Bin/Jin Yong (KOR)
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