SPOTLIGHT ON THE MEN BWF Wold C'ships: Day 1 Live, StarHub Ch211 & HD Ch255, 5 pm (Singapore) Straits Times August 8 2011 London: Badminton's big names head to the Wembley Arena today for the first time since 1993, with the week-long World Championships serving as a dress rehearsal for next year's Olympic tournament. Badminton quit the old Arena when the All-England Championships moved to Birmingham 18 years ago, but the sport is back at the revamped 12,500-seagter venue. Over 350 players from 51 countreis will be in London, but most eyes will be on the men's singles competition. In one corner is three-time champion LIn Dan of China, in another, Malaysia's world No.1 Lee Chong Wei. The contest is intriguing, because Lee, while being on top of his games, is teill without a world or Olympic title. Lin is regarded by many as the greatest player ever. However, the men's singles is the only event in which mighty China do not have the top seed this week. In a rare achievement, China won all five titles at last year's world meet, and could become the first nation to retain all its titles. And because these World Championships are at the same Wembley venue as the London 2012 Games, they will be a pointer to China's chances of also becoming the first badminton nation to win all five Olympic titles. Led by Wang Shixian, China will field the top three players in the world in the women's singles and look typically powerful in the three doubles events. But former world No. 1 Tine Baun believes a Chinese sweep can be prevented. "They are very good but they also have their ups and downs. They have shown lately that they can be beaten," said the Dane, who defeated Wang, the world No. 1, in Singapore in June... REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Just noticed India will be featured in 4 consecutive matches later in the day. Who does the scheduling? Does BWF owe India a favour or something?
does that mean it went to NIA in 1993? i went to watch AE 1992 in Wembley while i was still a student in the UK. so could I have been there the very last time AE was held in Wembley? that's epic.
I believe it means just that ... you're very lucky to have watched it the last time in Wembley a year before it moved to Birmingham. But you will be luckier if you went there again this time. Wonder whether Bro Deng has any vacancy ...
Rest of the nite plan: Gonna go and get some meat pie and hot dog for my mom, and then glue to the laptop watching badminton
12.55am. 3 more hours till matches starts. i still have to finish some work before tomorrow. snacks. drinks. i think i am all set.
Except your clock if way off. It's 8:56am in London now. Matches start at 10:00am, meaning 2:00am our time. You better hurry!
Just polished off a big bowl of noodles. Washing it down with some Chinese tea. Got some fruits for later. I AM READY!
fruits sounds very good... i have to go find some. now i only need to have some company. i think i will find some here.
And no chinese on first day TV court and to me, that looks fair. At least we get to see our players on TV on the first day and chinese can watch their players till sunday, fair enough...
yea I see...I was just trying to explain the logic behind many Indians on TV court on the first day. We don't expect to see many of them in later stages where as most chinese would.
