South Korean shuttlers dominate Ciba Asia Cup

JAKARTA (JP): South Korean players delighted their home crowd by winning three titles at the Ciba Asia Cup Badminton Championships in Seoul.

The host, which used the championships as the last warmup before the Atlanta Olympic Games next month, won the mixed doubles in an all-Korean final. It also won the women's doubles and the men's doubles.

China and Malaysia took one title each, leaving Indonesia empty handed.

The all-Korean final saw the world number 1 mixed doubles pair of veteran Park Joo-bong and Ra Kyung-min taking little effort to dispose of their junior teammates Kang Kyung-jin and Kim Mee- hyang 15-6, 15-8.

Indonesia forwarded its women's and men's pairs into yesterday's finals against the home favorites. Despite a gutsy challenge, the Indonesians failed to stop their opponents.

Indarti Isolina and Deyana Lomban, paired since December 1993, fell 15-7, 15-8 to South Korea's world number two women's pair of Gil Young-ah and Jang Hye-ock.

The other Indonesian hopefuls, Tony Gunawan and Rudy Wijaya, succumbed to old South Korean rivals Yoo Yong-sung and Kim Dong- moon 15-10, 15-8.

China's only medal came in the women's singles. In an all- Chinese affair, Zhang Ning beat Zeng Yaqing 5-11, 11-2, 11-6.

With the absence of top Chinese and Indonesian shuttlers, Malaysian Rashid Sidek lifted the men's singles title by overcoming little known Luo Yigang of China 18-14, 15-5.

Both Indonesia and China kept their Olympic shuttlers at home, sending their second-string to the annual championships. (arf)