ASIAN PLAYERS SWEEP WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
by Mike Grossman (from a report filed by Laurent Rochette)

September 30, 1996 (New Shuttlenws) - Players from Asian countries captured all the top honours at the badminton World University Championships that was completed yesterday in Strasbourg, France.

Chang Jeng-Shyuang of Chinese Taipei defeated Thomas Wapp of Switzerland in the men's singles finals 15-10 and 15-12 to claim the world university championship in that event.

In women's singles, Choi Ma Ree of Korea and Kanako Yonekura of Japan played the highlight match of the tournament in their final.

The two battled it out for three games with Choi taking the first easily 11-0 and then Yonekura coming from behind in the second to win 12-10 in a three-point setting or overtime.

In the third game, the Japanese girl took a slight lead at 6-5 and stayed ahead until Choi caught up at 9-9.

In the setting, it was the Korean girl who this time pulled out the victory at 12-10 to take the championship.

In the men's doubles final, Chun Young Gye and Kim Hyung Joon of Korea defeated Feng Yi and Chen Rui of China 15-6 and 15-6, while in the women's doubles, Tsai Hui Min and Chen Li Jin of Chinese Taipei overcame Gao Leng and Gao Yuan of China 15-8 8-15 and 15-7.

The mixed doubles title went to Kim Young Gil and Choi Ma Ree of Korea who defeated Richard Doling and Gail Emms of England 15-7 12-15 and 15-7 in the finals.

Heike Schonharting of Germany who finished in third in the women's singles received the fair-play award.

The boxscores:

Men's Singles
Semifinals
Chang Jeng Shyuang(Chinese Taipei) beat Jyri Aalto(Finland)
15-6 15-6
Thomas Wapp(Switzerland) beat Arthut Khatchatourian(Russia)
15-17 15-10 15-5
Finals
Chang Jeng Shyuang(Taipei) beat Thomas Wapp(Switzerland)
15-10 15-12

Ladies Singles
Semifinals
Choi Ma Ree(Korea) beat Saori Itoh(Japan)
11-5 11-0
Kanako Yonekura(Japan) beat Heike Schonharting(Germany)
11-5 11-6
Finals
Choi Ma Ree(Korea) beat Kanako Yonekura(Japan)
11-0 10-12 12-10

Men's Doubles
Semifinals
Chun Young Gye/Kim Hyung Joon(Korea) beat Arturo Ruiz/Ernesto Garcia(Spain)
15-2 15-9
Feng Yi/Chen Rui(China) beat Masahiro Yabe/Katsuya Nishiyama(Japan)
14-18 15-11 17-14
Finals
Chun Young Gye/Kim Hyung Joon(Korea) beat Feng Yi/Chen Rui(China)
15-6 15-6

Ladies Doubles
Semifinals
Gao Leng/Gao Yuan(China) beat Kanako Yonekura/Saori Itoh(Japan)
15-1 15-12
Tsai Hui Min/Chen Li Jin(Chinese Taipei) beat Tracy Hallam/Gail Emms(England)
15-12 15-17 15-11
Finals
Tsai Hui Min-Chen Li Jin(Chinese Taipei) beat Gao Leng/Gao Yuan(China)
15-8 8-15 15-7

Mixed Doubles
Semifinals
Kim Young Gil/Choi Ma Ree(Korea) beat Chang Jeng Shyuang/Tsai Hui Min (Chinese Taipei)
15-5 15-10
Richard Doling/Gail Emms(England) beat Feng Yi/Gao Leng(China)
15-11 15-12
Finals
Kim Young Gil/Choi Ma Ree(Korea) beat Richard Doling/Gail Emms(England)
15-7 12-15 15-7

New Shuttlenws
(e-mail: n.shuttlenws@genie.com)