Triple glory for Lee and Oktila
Para badminton World No. 1s sweep events in Canada 13 May 2019South Korea’s Lee Dong Seop and Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila proved why they are world No. 1s at the Yonex Canada Para Badminton International on Sunday in Ottawa. The duo completed a triple crown, securing their respective singles events, plus the doubles and mixed doubles at one of the qualifying events for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
South Korea’s reigning world champion Lee beat out Germany’s world No. 2 Thomas Wandschneider 21-13 21-17 in the men’s single WH 1 final. It was a long-awaited for the South Korean, who took third at the Fazza-Dubai International last month and missed the podium at March’s Turkish International.
Lee’s success continued in the mixed doubles with Lee Sun Ae and the men’s doubles with Kim Jung Jun, both against fellow Korean opponents.
Winning ways continue
For Oktila, who has won several triple crowns, it was another successful tournament.
The Indonesian easily won her women’s singles SL 4 final beating Japan’s Haruka Fujino 21-12 21-12. Earlier, she had captured the mixed doubles crown (SL 3 – SU 5) with compatriot Hary Susanto; the Indonesians had to fight their way past France’s Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel, 21-16 15-21 21-13.
Following her singles victory, Oktila returned for the women’s doubles (SL 3 – SU 5) final with Khalimatus Sadiyah. Japan’s Noriko Ito and Ayako Suzuki made it a keen contest in the second game but could not stop the Indonesians, 21-13 21-18.
Two-for-threes
Two players returned with a double crown – Japan’s Yuma Yamazaki and Peru’s Carmen Poveda Flores.
World No. 3 Yamazaki captured her first singles win of the year after topping Turkey’s Emine Seckin in the women’s singles WH 2, giving the 2020 Paralympic hosts someone to cheer on. The Japanese player then joined forces with Sarina Satomi to take down Seckin and Germany’s Man-Kei To in the women’s doubles WH 1.
Over for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games side, Poveda gave her home fans more to look forward to this August.
The Peruvian overcame USA’s Katherine Valli in the women’s singles SS 6. The two then teamed up to take the women’s doubles crown ahead of Poland’s Daria Bujnica and Peru’s Rubi Fernandez Vargas.
Hong Kong’s Chan Ho Yuen once again beat close rival Kim Jung Jun of South Korea in the men’s singles WH 2 final – his third victory over the legend in their last four matches.
Complete results from the Yonex Canada Para-Badminton International 2019 on the BWF’s website.