EAST ASIAN GAMES: CHINESE WOMEN SQUEEZE BY KOREA TO TAKE TEAM GOLD

May 14, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - A Chinese national women's team made up mainly of second-stringers squeezed past a stubborn Korean side in yesterday's best-of-five-matches championship meet at the East Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea to take the badminton women's team gold medal. The Chinese team beat the Koreans 3 matches to 2 with the championship only being decided in the third game of the fifth and final match.

Lee Joo Hyun of Korea gave the home team a rousing start when she won a very close opening match against Zeng Yaqiong 11-6, 10-12 and 12-10.

Sun Jian put the Chinese even when she easily defeated an off-form Lee Soon Deuk 11-0 and 11-1. Zhang Jin and Peng Xingyong then gave the Chinese the lead with their easy 15-4 and 15-4 win over Park So Yeon and Lee So Young.

The Chinese were on the verge of closing the Koreans out in the fourth match. Liu Lufang and Wang Li took the first game 17-14 but Cha Yun Sook and Yim Kyung Jin held their ground and eked out a 17-15 second game result to tie the match. Cha and Yim then took the third game with a closing spurt 15-10.

With the meet tied at 2 matches apiece, Yao Jie of China and Park Jin Hyun of Korea held the fate of their teammates in their rackethands.

Yao and Park battled through the first two games with each winning one game apiece in three-point tiebreaks or setting at 12-10.

In the third game, nerves and fatigue got the better of Park and the more experienced Yao outplayed Park 11-3 to claim the gold medal for herself and her teammates.

Because of the proximity of the badminton world championships scheduled to start May 19 in Glasgow, both the Chinese and Koreans have fielded mainly second-stringers at this East Asian Games competition.

The Taiwanese and the Japanese teams, losers in the semifinals, were awarded the bronze medals.

(jhlee/migrossman)