After "witnessing" her success at the just concluded Ciputra Hanoi Vietnam International Challenge, I thought this Thai sensation deserves a thread. Ratchanok Inthanon, at the tender year of 16 (I don't think she's 14 as some of us claimed) and ranked at 131th before the tournament, won her first international title in her senior tour without dropping a single game beating 4 Indonesians on her way to the title. Major Achievements: 2007: Cheers Youth International - GS and GD winners (U-15) 2008: Yonex-Sunrise Badminton Asia Youth U-16 - GS winner 2009: Ciputra Hanoi Vietnam International Challenge - WS winner Ratchanok partnering Maetanee Phattanaphitoon in Cheers Youth Internation 2007
actually this batch of ws and wd player is quite good,many of them should be the main force for thailand in future and ratchanok inthanon is the one that have the biggest posible to be the world beater
she is JUST 14 years old,uncle robin i know her in person. even if i recall wrongly,she should only be 15
here is her performance: International Preformances : Winner in Asia Junior Sports Exchange Games 2008, Tokyo Japan, Aug 25-Sep (Teams under 16 years) Winner in YONEX-SUNRISE Badminton Asia Youth 2008, Augest 4-10. (Teams, Woman Double, Women Single under 16 years) Winner in 41St Annual International Children's Games Reykjavik 2007, Iceland, June 20-25. (Team, Women Double) Winner in Cheers Youth International 2007, December 22. (Girls'Doubles Under 15 years) Runner-up in Cheers Youth International 2007, December 22. (Girls'Single Under 15 years)
I watched her play in the Cheers Youth 2007 and Asian Satellite 2008 tournaments held in Singapore. She has great fighting spirit and a 'never-say-die' attitude, qualities which I find lacking in our Singapore players. Here are a few photos which I took of Ratchanok Inthanon in the Asian Satellite 2008 tournament: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=883737&postcount=40
her d.o.b:5/2/1995 to provide the proof http://profiles.friendster.com/kaguyakimimaru this is my friendster i ask her there the 1st comment of my profile
Looking forward for this Thai promising talent, possibly she will shine in world junior championship next October. Ratchanok lost to Wang Shixian at quarterfinal in last year edition.
Her facebook also states February 5, 1995. But the entry list submitted to BWF in BAC U16 2008 stated 5/1/1995. So, now I am convinced that she is 14.
The Badminton Asia site has this age eligiblity text: Age Eligibility : The age limit will be under 19 years old; born on 1st January 1991 onwards. (Player’s age should not be 19 years old during any month of the tournament year). [FONT="]"The minimum age for all players is 14 years old." Now I believe that Inthanon is over 14 this year as she played at last year's AJC while the rule says that the minimum age is 14 [/FONT]
and the answer is,she is not even in the draw of last year ajc proof to me that she is in the draw buddy ops,i saw her name in xd hehe