Badminton: NZ duo chase gold at World Champs

New Zealand's Dan Shirley and Sara Runesten-Petersen celebrated their best performance as a mixed doubles pair as they made the world badminton championship semifinals in Los Angeles today.

The 15th seeds beat South Korean sixth seeds Jae Jin Lee and Hyo Jung Lee 15-11 15-13 in the mixed doubles quarterfinals to ensure New Zealand's first medal at a world championships.

"This is our best performance ever," Danish-born Runesten-Petersen said.

"I can't believe we are in the semis. We have played so well to get here."

The 2002 Commonwealth Games bronze medallists didn't have things all their own way, trailing for much of the first game.

"We were up 11-1 and then 13-6 and it got very tense. We just managed to keep our cool and finish them off," Runesten-Petersen said.

They also have a good opportunity to make the final when they meet 11th seeds, Zhongbo Xie and Yawen Zhang from China, in the semifinal (7am tomorrow NZT).

"This is what I've always dreamed of all my life," Shirley said.

"They are a young Chinese pair who have been doing well lately, but the draw has opened up with the top seeds gone from our side of the draw and the second seeds gone from the other half. We're definitely in with a show."

The success in Los Angeles is a huge bonus for the sport in New Zealand.

The first world grand prix one star US$30,000 ($43,610) event in Australasia will be held in Auckland on Wednesday.

Shirley and Runesten-Petersen will be top seeds in the mixed doubles.

- NZPA