Are there any links to watch matches from this event live or delayed recordings? Recently, I began to enjoy watching Koga Minoru ... Thanks
I like Koga, too. And the fact that his practice partner at NTT-East is Momota should do wonders for him. Sorry, I don't know of any links at all. Equally frustrating is the fact that tournament software doesn't even have a live score for the matches at this event. It is good to know that Koga, Naraoka, Oie, and Mizui have advanced to the semi-finals though! It is highly likely that Koga will feature at the Osaka International Challenge next. Hopefully, there will be some live recordings.
Thanks for the info. Yes, I hope to see Koga go far in this sport. He appears to be consistent ... has good intelligence / instinct and speed.
It will be an all-Japanese final at the Lao IS as far as the men's singles category is concerned. The top two seeds, Koga Minoru (Waseda U; NTT-East from April) and Naraoka Kodai (Namioka HS), will vie for the championship. Oie Natsuki of NTT-East will be featuring in the WS final!
Shame Mizui lost to Chaiwan, nearly a NTT WS final in Laos, too. From what I've seen of Oie so far, I wasn't impressed with her and think Mizui could have taken her. Probably a battle for future club #1 as well. My personal highlight is later on today. The Barcelona SF is the first time with Steen commentating Shidamatsu. Hope they don't muck it up.
Just wondering what happened to the JPN new colorful kits they wore in WTF last year? They have been wearing the same old kit this all tournaments this year.
Hi @kurako , I noticed that Hashimoto Hirokatsu is coaching Shida/Matsuyama and he's wearing "Saishunkan" team jacket in the Barcelona Spain Open. Also during the S/J League Final, I spotted him sitting with the Saishunkan supporters. He left 福井県立南特別支援 and joined Saishukan as a coach? I don't see his name in the staff list of Saishukan still. Or start 1 Apr is his official date? Any news?
Good find, I'm curious about that as well. Steen kept calling him Kazushi Yamada, who wasn't there, but actually is a Saishunkan coach. I initially thought he was a replacement NT coach, who donned the Saishunkan attire because Shida/Matsuyama are self-financed in Spain. It seems strange that Saishunkan would send a completely new guy (he wasn't presentat the top 4 tournament last week) to such an important tournament while having three more senior coaches (Ikeda, Yamada and recent addition Watanabe) sitting at home. If Hashimoto actually is a new staff member, Saishunkan will soon have more coaches than players.
Matsuyama was under performance in the final today. She committed too many errors which caused them the lost.
I can't see the brightness from MatsuShida future since Shida always excuses Matsuyama's flood mistakes. Sometime she should make a regret gesture like Ayaka Takahashi did when Matsutomo made so many error, not just smiling that only make your partner feel no regret.
On the list of the delegation being sent to Spain, Hashimoto's affiliation is marked down as 福井県スポーツ協会, so there is no change of employer (yet). I can't find any news as to what will happen from April 1. NBA regulations require that players be accompanied by coaches at international tournaments; however, this does not have to be a coach from the player's team. As far as the Spain Masters is concerned, Saishunkan only sent a trainer; they did not send a coach. Maybe there is an agreement between Saishunkan and Hashimoto to co-operate in tournaments, especially as he is from Kumamoto, ... but a transfer looks possible, doesn't it.
https://bwfbadminton.com/news-single/2019/02/27/online-language-learning-for-athletes/ Anyone knows where and when the pictures in the link are taken? The main picture features the top 2 JPN WS, NO and AY.
A partial answer is in the article: "A number of athletes this week sat in on an orientation session with Rosetta Stone’s global implementation strategist, Troy Tilus, at the YONEX German Open 2019 in Muelheim an der Ruhr. ...Leading women’s singles players Yamaguchi and Okuhara said they were excited to be part of the programme and to improve their English language skills."
Nozomi Okuhara “I want to be able to respond to interview questions in English” Goh Soon Huat “it would be great to be able to converse with more badminton athletes from other countries.” Akane Yamaguchi “It will make ordering food and drinks at tournaments easier”
Lol... Shows where her priorities lie relative to the other players' responses... Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk