Mia Audina seeded No.1 for next week's All England

JAKARTA (JP): World No. 1 and Olympic silver medalist Mia Audina of Indonesia has topped the International Badminton Federation's seedings for the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham next week.

Compatriot Susi Susanti, who married last month, has been seeded fifth for the US$150,000 tournament from March 11 to March 15.

Mia and Susi will face tough opponents from China who have been absent in major international events since January.

They must overcome second-seeded Gong Zhichao, third-seeded Ye Zhaoying, sixth-seeded Wang Chen and seventh-seeded Zhang Ning.

Denmark's Camilla Martin was seeded fourth and South Korean Kim Ji-hyun was seeded eighth.

In the men's division, Olympic gold medalist Poul-Erik Hoyer- Larsen, who won the title in 1995 and 1996, topped the seeding list.

Malaysian Rashid Sidek, last year's runner-up, is second, and Indonesia's Joko Suprianto in third.

Indonesia will send eight male shuttlers to the championships. They are the 1993 and 1994 All England champion Hariyanto Arbi, world number four Indra Wijaya, Susi's groom Alan Budikusuma, Budi Susanto, Jeffer Rosobin and Salim.

They will face Denmark's Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen and Peter Gade Christensen and Malaysia's Ong Ewe Hock.

Indonesia will send three men's doubles in the championships. They are world no. 1 Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto, Olympic gold medalists Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky, Olympic bronze medalists Antonius/Denny Kantono.

Olympic silver medalists Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock of Malaysia have been seeded second.

Chinese pair of Ge Fei/Gu Jun, Olympic gold medalists, have been seeded first, followed by Indonesia's Eliza/Zelin Resiana.

Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen/Marlene Thomson and Helena Kirkegaard/Rikke Olsen from Denmark will also compete in the championships.

The country's mixed pair of Tri Kusherjanto/Minarti Timur have been seeded first. They will have to beat second seeded Michael Sogaard/Rikke Olsen of Denmark. (yan)