The Hindu : Sport : Dwi Kuncoro is champion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

Sport

Sport

Dwi Kuncoro is champion

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Wang Chen takes honours in women's section

GOLDEN MOMENT: Hong Kong's Wang Chen (left) and Sony Dwl Kuncoro of Indonesia, who won the women's and men's title respectively. — Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

HYDERABAD: It was a similar story in the men's and women's singles finals in the Indian Oil Corporation Senior Asian Badminton

Confederation championship which concluded at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Sunday.

Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Wang Chen of Hong Kong were trailing in the first games but produced champion stuff when it mattered to emerge victorious. Kuncoro defeated Kuan Beng Hong 15-10, 15-5 to clinch the men's title and Wang beat Mori Kaori of Japan 11-8, 11-4 to take honours in the women's section.

Kuncoro, Athens Olympics bronze medallist was trailing 1-6 with Malaysia's Hong executing brilliant down-the-line strokes. Even before the crowd started settling down in its seat, Hong threatened to take the game away. But, Kuncoro was in no mood to wilt and came up with a vintage display to take the lead at 7-6. After that it was a Kuncoro show all the way.

"My coach (the great Joko Suprianto) advised me not to concede any easy points and put the pressure on him. It just worked out," Kuncoro said later. In the second game, Kuncoro dished out an object lesson in the art of picking points from acute angles.

Second ABC title

In the women's final, the top seed Wang Chen of Hong Kong dished out a 11-8, 11-4 victory over Japan's Mori Kaori to pick up her second ABC singles title.

Chen was surprised by Mori's brilliant onslaught early in the match. A couple of down the centre smashes and delectable drops saw third-seed Mori take the lead only to see the more experienced opponent come back strongly.

Chen then changed strategy and approached the net to upset the rhythm of the Japanese as splendid drops and half-smashes proved to be winners.

Kuncoro earned $10,000 for his effort while Chen picked up a purse of $7000.

The results (all finals):

Singles: Men: Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Ina) bt Kuan Beng Hong (Mas) 15-10, 15-5.

Women: Wang Chen (Hkg) bt Mori Kaori (Jpn) 11-8, 11-4.

Doubles: Men: Markis Kido & Hendra Setlawan (Ina) bt Lee Jae Jin & Jung Jee Sung (Kor) 15-11, 15-7.

Women: Lee Kyung Won & Lee Hyo Jung (Kor) bt Ogura Kuniko & Shiota Raiko (Jpn) 15-13, 8-15, 15-5.

Mixed doubles: Sudket Prapakamal & Saralee Thoungthongkam (Tha) bt Lee Jae Jin & Lee Hyo Jing (Kor) 15-11, 14-17, 15-10.

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