World champions add Asian titles in Incheon

A number of para-badminton world champions added Asian titles to their collection with victory at the Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games in South Korea on 24 October.

Malaysia’s 2013 world champion Liek Hou Cheah claimed two titles, as he first beat Indonesia’s Oddie Kurnia Dwi Listyanto 2-0 in the men’s singles SU 5, before winning his second title as he and partner Suhaili Laiman beat India’s Kumar and Rakesh Pandey in a closely fought 2-1 victory in the men’s doubles SL 3, 4/ SU5.

And in the men’s singles WH2 event, South Korean world champion doubles partners Kyung-Hoon Kim and Jung-Jun Kim battled it out, with the latter emerging a 2-1 victor.

In the men’s single WH 1 final, South Korea’s Jung-Man Choi beat his compatriot Sam-Seop Lee 3-1 to scoop the gold medal.

Indonesia then won double gold as Fredy Setiawan claimed the men’s single SL 4, beating India’s Tarun 2-0, before Ukun Rukaendi beat India’s Manoj Sarkar by the same score line in the men’s singles SL 3 final.

More gold went South Korea’s way in the first women’s competition, as Sun-Ae Lee beat Thailand’s Amnouy Wetwithan 2-0.

But there was revenge to come for Wetwithan, as he and partner Jakarin Homhaul claimed Thailand’s first success in the mixed doubles WH1-2, beating her nemesis Lee and her compatriot Sam-Seop Lee.

China got their first gold through Shouqun Sun in the women’s single SL 4/SU 5, as she beat fellow countryman Hefang Cheng 2-0.

In the mixed doubles SL 3,4/SU 5, it was a convincing win for Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan and Leani Ratri Oktila, as they saw off India’s Raj Kumar and Parul Dalsukhbhai 2-0.

But Setiawan was to be on the losing side in the men’s doubles SL 3-4, as Hary Susanto and Ukun Rukaendi beat him and partner Dwiyoko.