The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Badminton icon Eddy Choong was a great inventor of shots
- National No. 2 Wee Wern blows away Camille in Connecticut
- Tiger Woods carves out six-shot lead at Torrey Pines
| Badminton icon Eddy Choong was a great inventor of shots Posted: 28 Jan 2013 04:34 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR: He stood at five feet four inches but to the badminton world, Datuk Eddy Choong was the giant of his era. Yesterday, the 82-year-old Eddy (born on May 29, 1930) passed away in a private hospital at Penang after bleeding in the stomach – to leave all Malaysians mourning over the death of another great badminton icon. Two other greats – Eddy's talented brother David and the legendary Datuk Punch Gunalan – also passed on due to illness in 2011 and 2012 respectively. All of them left behind a rich badminton legacy for the newer generation to embrace. Eddy was the country's star of the All-England tournament. He had won it seven times – four singles crowns in 1953, 1954, 1956 and 1957 – and three doubles titles with David in 1951, 1952 and 1953. In fact, he is the only Malaysian player to win both the singles and doubles titles in the same year of the oldest tournament – in 1953. He was also a member of the 1955 Thomas Cup-winning team. And the player – dubbed as the Pocket Rocket, Mighty Midget, Mighty Atom and Jumping Jack to name a few – because of his small stature but explosive moves on court – ruled the world of badminton during the 1950s-1960s, winning numerous international titles. After his playing days, Eddy ventured into coaching and was known as a great inventor of badminton shots. Former Thomas Cup champion and two-time All England winner Datuk Tan Yee Khan recalled the times when he stayed in Eddy's house for three months hoping to learn the tricks of the trade from his "sifu". "I was 17 years old when I went to stay with him in Penang. I respected him because he was smart and had great knowledge of the game. And he was willing to teach all he knew about the game. I remember all those long hours of advice and also the painful and gruelling hill training," said Yee Khan. "As a player, he had invented a lot of badminton shots like the attacking lob. He would send the serve high enough to give him time to run back and take position against his opponent. "I remember this one funny incident too. His opponents especially the English players were wary of him and some of them wanted to know whether Eddy had springs hidden in his shoes because he could jump so high. "When I became a national coach, I did not forget his words of wisdom. I implemented some of his moves and techniques. He had been a mentor and a friend. He will be deeply missed," added the 73-year-old Yee Khan. The friendly and charming Eddy was also well-known among the international fraternity. One of the awards given by the World Badminton Federation (BWF) for their promising players had been named after him – Eddy Choong Player of the Year award. BWF's chief operating officer Thomas Lund said Eddy knew the whole history of badminton. "I consider him the most loyal and faithful badminton player, coach and fan. "His knowledge of the game was immense. He was also a dear friend of mine," said Lund. Lund added that the All-England had a special place in Eddy's heart. "During my playing days, I saw him in every All-England. When I joined the BWF, he was also a regular spectator there. "He always had badminton on his mind. He loved the game." Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) secretary Ng Chin Chai said: "We are very sad over his passing. He has contributed so much to the game and is truly an icon. "At one stage, he was the BAM's head coach of the women's team. He was also the deputy president of the Penang BA for many years. "For his wealth of knowledge, BAM had also appointed him to lead the think-tank committee. He contributed his ideas to help rejuvenate the sport. Most of our BAM officials will be heading to Penang to pay our last respects." |
| National No. 2 Wee Wern blows away Camille in Connecticut Posted: 28 Jan 2013 05:00 PM PST PETALING JAYA: World No. 7 Low Wee Wern delivered another masterclass as she blew away France's Camille Serme to make the final of the US$35,000 Greenwich Open squash championship in Connecticut, the United States, on Sunday. Wee Wern, who injured her hamstring when she faced Serme in last month's Hong Kong Open, had no problems this time as she scored an 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 win. "I definitely did not expect to make the final ... but it has been a really good start to the year," said Wee Wern. "Camille was pretty tired after beating top seed Raneem (El Weleily) in the quarter-finals a day earlier. "I was tired too but I managed to stay in front and had a healthy lead in the first two sets. In a way I was pretty much in control of the match. "The third set was much closer, up to 7-7 before I managed to score three points in a row which helped me out a lot," added Wee Wern. The Penangite will next take on impressive Egyptian teenager Nour El Sherbini, who crushed Australia's Kasey Brown 3-0. "I have not faced Sherbini in years ... maybe four years ago when she was really young," said Wee Wern. "She has improved a lot. She's obviously been playing well, being in the top six. It will be tough but I will definitely give it a go against her." While Wee Wern was celebrating her great run, men's national No. 1 Ong Beng Hee's title defence of the Motor City Open in Detroit came to an end in the quarter-finals. The 33-year-old Beng Hee started well against top seed Mohamed El Shorbagy, but the Egyptian's tenacity and stamina prevailed in the end for a 5-11, 11-9, 11-6, 14-12 win in 75 minutes. Shorbagy will face compatriot Amr Shabana for a place in the final. Shabana scored an easy 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 win over Colombia's Miguel Angel Rodriguez. The other semi-final is also an all-Egyptian affair between Karim Darwish and Omar Mosaad. |
| Tiger Woods carves out six-shot lead at Torrey Pines Posted: 28 Jan 2013 04:14 PM PST LA JOLLA (California): Tiger Woods strengthened his hold on the Farmers Insurance Open on Sunday, carving out a six-shot lead with 11 holes to play at the Torrey Pines course where he has won seven titles. Seeking the 75th victory of his legendary career, Woods fired a three-under 69 in a third-round that was wiped out on Saturday by fog, then birdied three of the first seven holes in his fourth round before darkness halted play. Woods was on 14-under 202 after 54 holes, then birdied the par-three third, par-four fourth and par-five sixth before a par at the seventh at dusk left him on 17-under at a course where he has won six PGA events and the 2008 US Open. "I drove it great in the morning. I drove it on a string all day," Woods said. "I've got 11 holes to play and I've got to go out and play them well." Americans Nick Watney and Brandt Snedeker shared second at 11-under with Canada's Brad Fritsch fourth two shots further back. Snedeker had five holes to play. Watney had twice as many. Fritsch had 11 to finish. No other rivals were within nine strokes of Woods, who could beat his record victory margin at the US$6.1mil event, an eight-stroke triumph in 2008. Woods has been the sole leader of an event 41 times after 54 holes and won 39 of those tournaments. Past success at Torrey Pines has been a precursor to strong seasons from Woods, a 14-time major champion who at age 37 hopes to close the gap on the career record 18 major titles won by Jack Nicklaus after seasons diminished by injuries and the aftermath of an infamous sex scandal. A victory would put Woods seven shy of Sam Snead's all-time PGA title mark of 82. The Farmers would be the third event Woods has won seven times in his career, joining tournaments at Bay Hill and Firestone and all one shy of Snead's PGA record eight career wins at Greensboro. Woods wore a gray sweater in cool conditions for the fourth round start but said he would don his familiar red shirt for the concluding holes. Defending champion Snedeker, who rallied from seven strokes down to win the event last year, birdied three of the first six holes to charge again, but was only one-under over the next seven holes while Woods pulled away. Watney's charge fizzled as well. He birdied three of the first four holes and then scored four pars before darkness fell. — AFP |
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