LEE Chong Wei could still sneak into the Athens Olympics after all as his world ranking improved from 16th position to 12 in the latest International Badminton Federation (IBF) ranking list released yesterday. Chong Wei fared badly in the ongoing Japan Open when he lost in the first round on Wednesday but a quarter-final berth in the Korea Open last week has helped his cause. Players who ranked in the top 16 during the Olympic qualifying period, which ends on April 30, will secure automatic berths to Athens. Chong Wei needs to advance at least to the quarter-finals of the Asian Badminton Championships in Kuala Lumpur on April 20-25 to confirm his berth alongside Wong Choong Hann and Roslin Hashim. Choong Hann is assured of a place in the Olympics as he has maintained his position as World No 4 while Roslin also remained at 14th position. Roslin is likely to further improve his ranking as he has already advanced to the quarter-finals of the Japan Open. Hafiz Hashim’s Olympic aspirations are all but over as he is still ranked World No 30 and the only way he can make the cut is by winning the Asian championships. Based on his current performance, it will be an uphill task for Hafiz to win the Asian title. In the doubles, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah also moved a rung up from fifth to fourth position and have secured a place in the Oylmpics. Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng also took a giant step in qualifying for the Olympics when they moved six spots from 34th position to 28th position. However, back-up pair Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat’s Olympic dreams faded when they dropped from 37 to the 38th position. RESULTS — MEN’S Singles: 1 Lin Dan (Chn) 3,726.05pts; 2 Chen Hong (Chn) 3,278.91; 3 Lee Hyun II (Kor) 3,067.32; 4 Wong Choong Hann (Mas) 3,054.93; 5 Bao Chunlai (Chn) 2,740.89; 6 Xia Xuanze (Chn) 2,559.00; 7 Shon Seung Mo (Kor) 2,485.05; 8 Kenneth Jonassen (Den) 2,472.00; Peter Gade Christensen (Den) 2,392.78; 10 Chen Yu (Chn) 2,346.96; Selected Malaysians: 12 Lee Chong Wei 2,205.48; 14 Roslin Hashim 2,194.63; 30 Hafiz Hashim 1,413.00; 36 Lee Tsuen Seng 1,221.00; 38 Yeoh Kay Bin 1,206.00; 50 Kuan Beng Hong 1,015.06. Doubles: 1 Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen (Den) 3,494.89; 2 Ha Tae Kwon-Kim Dong Moon (Kor) 3,251.86; 3 Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun (Chn) 3,118.85; 4 Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) 2,996.56; 5 Jens Eriksen- Martin Lundgaard Hansen (Den) 2,995.14; 6 Sang Yang-Zheng Bo (Chn) 2,887.56; 7 Lee Dong Soo-Yoo Yong Sung (Kor) 2,785.77; 8 Luluk Hadiyanto-Alven Yulianto (Ina) 2,715.00; 9 Flandi Limpele- Eng Hian (Ina) 2,685.00; 10 Pramote Teerawiwatana- Tesana Panvisvas (Tha) 2,393.91. Selected Malaysians: 28 Chew Choon Eng-Chan Chong Ming 1,383.00; 38 Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat 1,136.33. NST
