Taiwan were the biggest winners among all participants at the Sydney International Series badminton tournament after the final matches finished yesterday, capturing three gold, one silver and four bronze medals.
In the men’s singles, Taiwan were assured of a top-two finish, with Lu Chia-hung and Chen Chun-wei winning their semi-finals on Friday to advance to yesterday’s final.
Lu prevailed over Chen in straight games, 21-13, 21-16.
Beginning on Wednesday, the event is a Level 4 tournament organized by the Badminton World Federation and sponsored by Chinese racket manufacturer Li-Ning Co.
The tournament is for youth and college players.
In the final of the mixed doubles, Taiwanese pairing Yang Ming-tse and Lee Chia-hsin prevailed over South Korean duo Jung Young-keun and Kim Na-young 21-13, 22-20.
The third gold medal came in the men’s doubles, where Taiwanese twins Lee Fang-chih and Lee Fang-jen had to make adjustments after an initial setback.
Coming back strong, the twins toppled the South Korean pairing of Lee Jae-woo and Jung Young-keun in three games, 10-21, 21-17, 21-13.
Taiwan were not involved in the final of women’s singles, where Japan’s Saito Shiori got the better of Xu Wei from China with a 21-14, 21-13 win.
In the all-Japan final of the women’s doubles, Yonemoto Haruka and Imai Yuho beat Shimizu Nozomi and Honda Erina 21-16, 15-21, 21-18.
Meanwhile, at the 14th World University Championship in Ramenskoye, Russia, on Friday, Taiwanese player Tzu Wei-wang advanced to the semi-finals of the men’s singles, while Hsu Ya-ching advanced in the women’s singles and Chang Ko-chi and Chang Hsin-tien won in the mixed doubles.
Tzu defeated Masahide Nakata of Japan 21-19, 21-11 and was to play Guo Kai of China, with the match starting at about press time last night. The finals are to be played tonight.
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