Badminton: NZ, Australia start Oceania champs with wins

New Zealand cleaned up Samoa 5-0 in the first match of the Oceania badminton team championshps at the Waitakere badminton centre in Auckland tonight.

Dan Shirley and Sara Runesten-Petersen who are close to Olympic selection for New Zealand in the mixed doubles won their match 15-0 15-2 against Burty Molia and Nelly Gordon in just 13 minutes.

In the women's singles Rachel Hindley beat Phyllis Gordan 11-3 11-1 also in 13 minutes.

Australia beat New Caledonia 5-0 with women's number one Lenny Permana beating Johanna Kou 11-1 11-4 in just 12 minutes.

New Zealand play New Caledonia tomorrow before clashing with Australia on Thursday.

The individual Oceania championshps start on Friday with the finals on Sunday.

Scores

NZ v Samoa ( New Zealand names first):

Men's singles: John Moody bt Burty Molia 15-5 15-0

Women's singles: Rachel Hindley bt Phyllis Gordan 11-3 11-1

Men's doubles: Dan Shirley/John Gordan bt Vaiola Vaeau/Itagia Tupuivao 15-1 15-0

Mixed doubles: Dan Shirley/Sara Runesten-Petersen bt Burty Molin/Nelly Gordon 15-0 15-2

Women's doubles: Nicole Gordon/Sara Runesten Petersen bt Moe Kontze/Vicki Bailey 15-0 15-2

Australia v New Caledonia ( Australian names first)

Men's singles: Hung bt Sebastian Arias 15-1 15-0

Women's singles: Lenny Permara bt Johanna Kou 11-1 11-4

Men's doubles: Hung Pham/Stuart Brehaut bt Florian Paladani/Florent Mathey 15-2 15-1

Women's doubles: Tania Luiz/Kellie Lucas bt Johanna Kou/Bellenka Delmas 15-11 15-1

Mixed doubles: Kate Wilson-Smith/Travis Denney bt Thommy Sargito/Cecile Sarengat 15-0 15-0.

- NZPA