Sport - Badminton

BAI to go ahead with its plans

Principal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Badminton Association of India is going ahead with its long-term coaching plans to realise the ultimate goal of Vision 2010 despite India's dismal performance at the World championship in Spain.

The Elite camp for the seniors will commence from October 2 at the Gachibowli stadium here, according to Pullela Gopi Chand, India's coach.

Gopi told The Hindu on Sunday that the Asian Badminton Confederation championship players (juniors and sub-juniors) would train in Kochi while the Elite and the Junior World Championship camps would be held here.

Interestingly, BAI is still struggling to get visa clearance for the Chinese coach Lin Zhen Cio Nan. Originally he was supposed to join the Indian team before the recent World meet but could not make it. "Now we are desperately trying to get this problem solved and V.K. Varma, president of BAI, is taking personal interest in the matter," said Gopi.

"We are going ahead with the long-term plan which includes the Doha Asian Games this year-end and are optimistic of producing results by early next year," Gopi said.

The BAI announced the teams to take part in the junior world championship to be held in Incheon (South Korea) from November 2 to 7 and the ABC regional championship (sub-juniors) in Colombo from October 28 to 29.

The teams:

For World Championships: Boys: Jishnu Sanyal (AI), S. Nandluri (AP), Guru Sai Dutt (AP), K. Tarun (AP), Akshay Diwakar (AI) and Rati Kanta Saha. Reserves: Aditya Elongo (TN) and Arun Nandaluri (AP).

Girls: Saina Nehwal (PSPB), Arundhati (Mah), Ashwini Ponappa (Kar) and Nitya Sosal (Kar). Reserve: Ruth Misra.

For ABC regional: Boys: Saurabh Verma (MP), M. Prashanth (AP), Raj Kumar (Pun), Sumith Reddy (AP). Reserve: Sai Praneeth (AP).

Girls: N. Sikki Reddy (AP), P.C. Tulasi (Ker), Vaishali Barie (Guj), Prajekta Sawant (Mah). Reserve: Ankta Ashok (Kar).

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