Coming off a history-making gold medal performance at the 2005 World Badminton Championships in Anaheim, Calif., USA Badminton looks to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China with newfound optimism.  The U.S. won the gold medal in the men’s doubles competition of the 2005 World Badminton Championships as 2004 U.S. Olympian Howard Bach (San Francisco, Calif./Orange, Calif.) teamed up with Tony Gunawan, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist for Indonesia who is now living in Orange, Calif.  Never before had a USA Badminton athlete won a medal at a World Championship or Olympic competition.

Bach and Gunawan will not have the opportunity to match this feat at the 2008 Olympic Games as Gunawan will not be able to receive his U.S. citizenship in time, but the experience promises to buoy Bach, who has now teamed up with Khan “Bob” Malaythong (Rockville, Md./Orange, Calif.).  The two have set their sights squarely on the 2008 Olympic Games.  Bach, who reached the round of 16 in the men’s doubles competition at the 2004 Olympic Games with Kevin Han (Orange, Calif./Colorado Springs, Colo.), is now competing with Malaythong, who recently received his U.S. citizenship.  Han is currently working with the United States Olympic Committee through an athlete apprenticeship program.

Before they can dream of Olympic Gold in Beijing, Bach, Malaythong and the rest of the USA Badminton athletes will have to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.  Many Olympians and Olympic medalists will tell you that the most difficult part of the Olympic journey is qualifying for the Olympic Games.  This is certainly the case in the sport of badminton.  The Olympic qualifying period for the 2008 Olympic Games is one calendar year, beginning May 1, 2007 and lasting through April 30, 2008.  Participation in the Olympic Games is solely determined by an athlete’s international ranking.

Five badminton events will be contested at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China: men’s doubles, women’s doubles, men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles.  The International Badminton Federation (IBF) has adjusted how the 172 athlete spots will be filled for the 2008 Olympic Games as compared to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.  For 2008 the IBF has designated that there will be three fewer pairs competing in each of the doubles events (men’s, women’s and mixed) and nine more athletes competing in each of the singles events (men’s and women’s).  This change in rules will provide a greater opportunity for the U.S. to qualify in the singles events.

Raju Rai (Lawrenceville, Ga./Anaheim, Calif.) is America’s top hope in the men’s singles.  Rai, a bronze medalist for the 2003 United States Pan American Games Team, is currently training in Germany as part of an International Badminton Federation training program.  On the women’s side, Eva Lee (Orange, Calif.) looks to be the top prospect in singles.  Lee and teammate Mesinee “May” Mangkalakiri (Garden Grove, Calif.) are also the top contenders for the U.S. in women’s doubles.  Mangkalakiri and Malaythong are the top ranked mixed doubles team in the U.S.

Others players to keep an eye on include Jennifer Coleman (Madison, Wis./Newport Beach, Calif.), Eric Go (Palo Alto, Calif./Orange, Calif.), Nicholas Jinadasa (Long Beach, Calif.), Samantha Jinadasa (Long Beach, Calif.) and Jamie Subandhi (Westminster, Calif.).

Storylines

Howard Bach (San Francisco, Calif./Orange, Calif.) - One of People Magazine’s 50 hottest bachelors in 2004, will be trying to make his second consecutive U.S. Olympic Team.  Born in Saigon, Vietnam; Bach and his family moved to San Francisco, Calif. when he was three years old.  Bach, who reached the round of 16 in the men’s doubles competition at the 2004 Olympic Games with recently retired Kevin Han (Colorado Springs, Colo.), is now the veteran and leader of the USA Badminton Team.

Khan “Bob” Malaythong (Rockville, Md./Orange, Calif.) – Born in Laos, Malaythong recently received his U.S. citizenship and will be attempting to make his first U.S. Olympic Team

Raju Rai (Lawrenceville, Ga./Anaheim, Calif.)  - Is currently training in Germany as part of an International Badminton Federation training program.

Nicholas and Samantha Jinadasa (Long Beach, Calif.) - Are brother and sister competing in both singles and mixed doubles.  They are attempting to make the 2008 Olympic Games a family affair.

Key Athlete Bios

Howard Bach

Event:                                   Men’s Doubles

Doubles Partner:              Khan “Bob” Malaythong

Height:                                  5’ 7”

Weight:                                 153 lbs.

Birthdate:                            February 22, 1979

Birthplace:                          Saigon, Vietnam

Hometown:                          San Francisco, Calif.

Current Residence:         Orange, Calif.

Coach:                                   Ignatius Rusli

Racket:                                 Yonex – Ti-8

Dominant Hand:               Right

Sponsors:                            Yonex

Olympic Games:                2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

                                                Men’s Doubles (Kevin Han), Round of 16

World Championship:      2005 World Championships, Anaheim, Calif., USA

                                                Men’s Doubles (Tony Gunawan), Gold Medal

Pan American Games:    2003 Pan American Games, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

                                                Men’s Doubles (Kevin Han), Gold Medal

                                                1999 Pan American Games, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

                                                Men’s Doubles (Mark Manha), Silver Medal

                                                Men’s Singles, Did not medal

Howard Bach and Khan “Bob” Malaythong are considered the United States’ best hope for qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China…Bach and Tony Gunawan made history on August 22, 2005 when they won the gold medal in the men’s doubles competition at the 2005 World Badminton Championships in Anaheim, Calif., becoming the first USA Badminton athletes ever to medal at a World Championship or Olympic competition…For their historic accomplishment, Bach and Gunawan were named by the United States Olympic Committee as its 2005 USOC Overall Team of the Year…Bach and Han received the United States Olympic Committee’s Men’s Doubles Badminton Team of the Year award in 2000 and 2001…Won the gold medal in the Men’s Doubles competition at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic…Won the silver medal in the Men’s Doubles competition at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where they also competed in Men’s Singles…Now lives and trains at the Orange County Badminton Club in Orange, Calif…Is currently enrolled at Cal State Fullerton where he is studying Business Information Systems…Is a USA Badminton Development Foundation Coach, which is part of the USA Badminton Junior Development Program…Was named a recipient of a Pontiac Grand Am automobile in the General Motors ‘Team Behind The Team’ Program prior to the 2000 Olympic Games…Attributes much of his success to his family and their unending support…Is the son of Cain and Amy Bach…Has four sisters: Belvia, Nancy, Myltanh and Carrie…Graduated from Galileo High School in San Francisco, Calif., in 1997…Enjoys fishing, bowling, basketball, skiing, river rafting, playing the guitar, playing video games, driving really fast remote control cars and flying kites in his spare time…Is interested in learning to play the piano and learning Chinese…Began playing badminton at the age of 7 at a local YMCA where his Dad played.