http://usabadminton.org/news/2011/07/26/the-2011-world-police-and-fire-games-to-host-badminton-exhibition/43748 The 2011 World Police and Fire Games to Host Badminton ExhibitionHoward Bach and Tony Gunawan, 2005 World Champions to Play Exhibition in New York City COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2011 World Police and Fire Games will hold a badminton exhibition with 2005 World Champions Howard Bach(San Francisco, Calif./Orange, Calif.) and Tony Gunawan (Los Angeles, Calif.) as part of their opening event on August 29, 2011 in New York City. The free exhibition will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York at 655 West 34[SUP]th[/SUP] Street, New York, New York 10001 and is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Badminton Exhibition at the 2011 World Police and Fire Games is made possible by Yonex U.S.A., the Northeast Badminton Association, the CP Badminton Club, the 2011 World Police & Fire Games and USA Badminton. Bach and Gunawan originally teamed up in men’s doubles in 2005 to win the first-ever World Championship title for the United States in the sport of badminton. With Gunawan on track to being sworn in as a U.S. citizen in 2011, the two have joined forces once again, this time with their sights set squarely on the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England where they hope to bring home the first ever Olympic badminton medal for the United States of America. Bach has represented the U.S. at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Gunawan won the Olympic gold medal in men’s doubles with Candra Wijaya at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia for Indonesia. Gunawan also won gold at the 2001 World Badminton Championships with fellow Indonesian native Halim Haryanto Ho in men’s doubles. Ho, now of Milpitas, Calif., also anticipates becoming a U.S. citizen in September. Badminton will be one of the numerous sports contested at the 2011 World Police and Fire Games. Badminton competition is scheduled for August 29[SUP]th[/SUP] to September 1[SUP]st[/SUP] in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York in New York City. Competition will be held in Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles for the Open, Senior, Master and Grand Master divisions, as well as Mixed Doubles for Open and Master Divisions. According to their website, the 2011 World Police and Fire Games anticipates as many as 15,000 athletes competing in 65 sporting events. The Games will respectfully coincide with the ten year remembrance of September 11, 2001. The 2011 World Police & Fire Games will be empowered by two themes: Remembrance (we will always remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001) and Gratitude (an opportunity for all New Yorkers to thank the world for the support that flooded into New York City after September 11, 2001). For more information on the 2011 World Police and Fire Games, please visit: 2011wpfg.org.
Anyone who is in that area should attempt to see these games and support these brave men. I remember being in Vancouver for a wedding during the 2009 World Police and Fire Games. Some athletes were staying in the same hotel. These guys aren't dilettantes. Several times I rode in the elevator with members of the Moscow Police's water polo team. Pardon the stereotype, but they were tall, tough and expressionless. It didn't take much imagination to see how imposing they would be to another team -- let alone to a suspect in an interrogation room.
