Badminton: Stars queue for last chance

By TERRY MADDAFORD

A last chance to grab a place in the Olympic badminton tournament has attracted more than 50 overseas players to this week's Waitakere International Open.

The opportunity to win qualifying points in the last of the International Badminton Federation pre-Olympic tournaments has ensured the strongest field ever in New Zealand.

Many of the players have already spent almost a week training at the new-look Waitakere Badminton Hall in Massey, which includes a three-court extension.

Players from the United States, Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and New Zealand are among those chasing places in the Olympic singles and doubles draw.

Of the eight seeds in the men's singles, only fourth seed Geoff Bellingham, of New Zealand, has no chance of qualifying for Sydney 2000.

Top seed Hwang Sun Ho, of Korea, is chasing points and faces a tough test if he is to force his way on to the federation's Olympic invitation list, which will be announced on May 10.

The first 16 matches in the men's singles and the first women's single match will be played from 7 pm tonight.

Women's top seed Kanako Yonekura, of Japan - who has already secured her Olympic spot - will be challenged by Hong Kong's Wang Chen, who won last week's ACT tournament in Canberra.

She desperately needs to win here to be assured of her Olympic invitation.

New Zealand's only hope of having any players in the Olympic draw lies with the mixed-doubles pairing of Daniel Shirley and Tammy Jenkins.

But they must win their four games and take the title to have any chance.

They face a tough first-up clash tomorrow afternoon against Australians Peter Blackburn and Rhonda Cator, who won the Commonwealth Games bronze in Kuala Lumpur.

The number and calibre of the overseas players has surprised organisers, but will give local players a second-to-none opportunity to play against some of the world's best.

They can also upset those players in their bid for Olympic selection.

Matches in all events will be played from 1 pm tomorrow.

Semifinals will be played on Saturday, and finals from noon on Sunday.