South Korea has set a high target in the Badminton Asia Manila Team Championships which began at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on Tuesday – to reach at least the finals in bot te men’s and women’s categories.Â
And the mighty Korean women got off to smashing start to their campaign in Manila with a 5-0 rout of Kazakhstan in their two-team Group X to decide group champions. Despite the defeat, Kazakhstan also moved into the quarter-finals.
Team manager Jae Myu Kim said Korea has brought strong teams in both the men’s and women’s.categories.
”Ăf course we are not underrating any team in Manila but we have come well prepared to make the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals (in Aarhus, Denmark) in May on merit…this means we must reach the semi-finals.
On Tuesday, the Koreans did not play their rising star –17-year-old An Se Yeong who is expected to make her Asian Team Championships debut in the quarter-finals.
“This is a good ground for the players to be exposed but more importantly it gives Olympic qualifying points for those who are chasing to qualify for Tokyo.”
The Korean men’s team is drawn in the two-team Group A with defending champions Indonesia. The two meet on Wednesday to decide the group champions although both have advanced to the quarter-finals. Badminton Asia
RESULTS
WOMEN
Group X
Korea  5  Kazakhstan  0
(Korea first)
WS1: Sung Ji Hyun beat Aisha Zhumabek 21-4, 21-3
WS2: Kim Ga Eun beat Kamila Smagulova 21-5, 21-19
WS3: Sim Yu Jin bat Oxsana Shtelle 21-4, 21-3
WD2: Kim So Yeong-Kong Hee Yong beat Kamila-Aisha 21-6, 21-5, 21-5
GROUP Y
Thailand  5   Philippines  0
(Thailand first)
WS1: Busanan Ongbamrungphan beat Airah Mae Nicole 21-8, 21-10
WS2: Pornpawee Chochuwong beat Maria Bianca Carlos 21-15, 21-12
WS3: Chasinee Korepap beat SaJoy Barredo 21-14, 21-15
WD1: Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai beat Alyssa Leonard-Thea Marie Pomar 21-12, 21-13
WD2: Chasinee-Phataimas Muenwong beat Joela Geva De Vera-Chanelle Lunod 21-10, 21-8
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