ASIAN CHAMPS 2014 Finals – 1st ever Asian doubles title for Hong Kong

Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah bounced back from a game down to take the Badminton Asia Championship mixed doubles title.

Story and photos by Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Gimcheon

Hong Kong came to the Gimcheon Badminton Asia Championships having only won a trio of women’s singles titles, all courtesy of the great Wang Chen.  But Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah made their first deposit in a doubles honours list by taking the mixed doubles title away from Korea.

The home team lost its defending champions in this event, Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na, early in the week but their honour was being defended in the final by Shin Baek Cheol and Jang Ye Na, the two stars of the local Gimcheon City Hall pro team.

After taking the first game handily, the Koreans held a minor advantage at the mid-game interval in the second.  Shin, in particular, looked visibly eager to avoid a third game as he had a tough men’s doubles match to look forward to later in the afternoon.

It was not to be, however, as the Hong Kong pair found their comfort zone and repeatedly caught Shin and Jang wrong-footed and forced more and more errors.  The pattern continued in the third game, when Lee and Chau took a 5-0 lead and never let the home team back into it.

“I really don’t know what to say,” said Chau Hoi Wah afterward.  “I’ve never thought of winning or losing.  I just enjoy playing the game at a high level and the outcome went well so I’m thankful for all the support.

“The rest of our team went back to Hong Kong already so we didn’t think there would be anyone to cheer for us but then suddenly a group of Chinese spectators was cheering for us so we had the spirit to play on.

“We were lucky today that we could get back in form after losing the first game.  They played well and did well at moving us around and keeping us confused but then we had a good comeback to play our own form.”

Lee Chun Hei first came to international prominence when he won the boys’ singles title at the 2012 World Junior Championships.  In fact, his opponent of today, Shin Baek Cheol, made his own mark when he won the same title back in 2007, just a couple of years before taking the mixed doubles gold at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

“I hope I can do the same,” said Lee Chun Hei.  “Back then, Shin Baek Cheol had Lee Hyo Jung bringing her experience to him and they were able to become champions.  For me it’s the same because Chau Hoi Wah has the experience so I hope we can do it, too.”

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