Badminton: Bellingham looks set for Seville

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The men's singles berth in the New Zealand team for the world badminton championships is undecided, but it will take a stunning late charge to tip out Waitakere's Geoff Bellingham.

Winner of last weekend's Counties Manukau International, Bellingham is top seed for this weekend's North Harbour tournament ahead of Australian Nathan Malpass.

Nick Hall - Bellingham's only rival for the singles spot at the world championships in Seville - is seeded fourth behind North Harbour's John Moody.

Despite losing to Rhona Robertson in the women's final at Papakura, Australian Rayoni Head will be top seed for the North Harbour International, which starts Friday.

Bellingham, Hall, Robertson and Sara Runesten-Petersen - the only members of the world championships squad still in New Zealand - will be in action. Runesten-Petersen will again partner Robertson in the women's doubles.

National coach Graeme Robson must add one player to the team.

Dan Shirley and the Gordon sisters Nicole and Rebecca are already in Europe along with a number of players, including John Gordon and Chris Blair who are battling for the last place in the team. One of them will be Shirley's doubles partner.

The European contingent will play in Switzerland this weekend and Robson will name his final team member next week.

New Zealand will play Poland, Iceland and Singapore in their pool at the world championships, with Shirley and Runesten-Petersen set to take the mixed doubles spot.