Ardy to miss Atlanta Olympics badminton

Ardy to miss Atlanta Olympics badminton

CHELTENHAM, England (Reuter): Ardy Wiranata, silver medalist
at the Barcelona Games in 1992 when badminton made its Olympic
bow, has not qualified for Atlanta, although a player from
Mauritius, ranked 179 places lower, will be there.

Ardy, one of the sport's great artists and entertainers and a
former All England champion, is ranked world number seven.

But such is the strength of Indonesian badminton that he is
rated only fourth in his own country. As only a maximum of three
players from any one country are permitted, Ardy misses out in
favor of world champion Heryanto Arbi, world number one Joko
Suprianto and Olympic champion Alan Budikusuma.

The full list of qualifiers, based on the latest world
rankings, was released on Wednesday by the International
Badminton Federation (IBF).

Referring to Ardy, a spokeswoman said: "Being part of the
world's most successful badminton country does have its
drawbacks."

Ironically, as each continent must supply at least one player,
world ranked 186 Eddy Clarisse of Mauritius, will be in Atlanta,
fulfilling the African requirement.

Compatriot Martine de Souza, ranked 149 among the women, will
also make the trip, pitched against such as world champion Ye
Zhaoying of China and titleholder Susi Susanti of Indonesia.

The mixed doubles, being staged for the first time, features
South Korean doubles specialist Park Joo-bong, who has come out
of retirement to try to add gold to the men's doubles title he
won in Barcelona.

Qualifers eligible for the badminton tournament at the Atlanta
Olympics, based on latest world rankings, were named on Wednesday
by the International Badminton Federation.

Men's singles (prefix indicates current world ranking):
1-Joko Suprianto (Ina); 2-Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Den); 3-
Haryanto Arbi (Ina); 4-Dong Jiong (China); 5-Park Sung-woo (Kor);
6-Alan Budikusuma (Ina); 8-Rashid Sidek (Mal); 11-Lee Kwang-jin
(Kor); 12-Thomas Stuer Lauridsen (Den); 14-Sun Jun (Chn); 15-Yu
Lizhi (Chn); 16-Kim Hak-kyun (Kor); 18-Ong Ewe Hock (Mal); 19-
Darren Hall (Gbr); 20-Tomas Johannson (Swe); 23-Jeroen van Dijk
(Ned); 24-Jens Olsson (Swe); 28-Peter Knowles (Gbr); 30-Pontus
Jantti (Fin); 33-Robert Liljequist (Fin); 34-Liu En Horng (Tpe);
35-Oliver Pongratz (Ger); 38-Joris van Soerland (Ned); 39-Kitipon
Kitikul (Tha); 40-Andrei Antropov (Rus); 43-Hannes Fuchs (Aut);
45-Chang Jeng Shyong (Tpe); 46-Thomas Wapp (Swi); 47-Pavel Uvarov
(Rus); 51-Murray Hocking (Aus); 53-Jurgen Koch (Aut); 55-Kevin
Han (U.S.A.); 186-Eddy Clarisse (Mau)

Women's singles:
1-Ye Zhaoying (Chn); 2-Susi Susanti (Ina); 3-Bang Soo-hyun (Kor);
4-Lim Xiaoqing (Swe); 5-Camilla Martin (Den); 6-Han Jingna (Chn);
7-Yao Yan (Chn); 9-Kim Ji-hyun (Kor); 10-Mia Audina (Ina); 12-Ra
Kyung-min (Kor); 13-Yuliani Sentoso (Ina); 16-Marina Yakusheva
(Rus); 17-Catrine Bengtsson (Swe); 20-Somharuthai Jaroensiri
(Tha); 21-Hisako Mizui (Jpn); 24-Jo Muggeridge (Gbr); 25-Anne
Sondergaard (Den); 27-Denyse Julien (Can); 28-Anne Gibson (Gbr);
29-Pornsawan Plungwech (Tha); 30-Yasuko Mizui (Jpn); 31-Vlada
Tcherniavskaia (Bel); 32-Lisa Campbell (Aus); 36-Neli Nedjalkova
(Bul); 37-Zarinah Abdullah (Sin); 39-Doris Piche (Can); 40-Huang
Chia Chi (Tpe); 41-Elena Rybkhina (Rus); 42-Rhona Robertson (Nzl)
43-Jeng Shwu Zen (Tpe); 44-Brenda Beenhakker (Ned); 47-Monique
Hoogland (Ned); 149-Martine de Souza (Mau)