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U.S. Open Badminton Championships
// USOC Media Services // August 10, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Badminton will be hosting the 2006 U.S. Open Badminton Championships at the Orange County Badminton Club in Orange, Calif., August 10-12. The top badminton athletes in the United States, as well as top athletes from around the world, will be competing in the event which boasts a prize purse of $30,000.
One year ago, USA Badminton hosted the 2005 World Badminton Championships right next door to the Orange County Badminton Club at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif. At that event the United States made history with 2004 U.S. Olympian Howard Bach (San Francisco, Calif./Orange, Calif.) teaming up with Tony Gunawan (2000 Olympic gold medalist for Indonesia now living in Orange, Calif.) to win the gold medal in the men's doubles competition. Never before had a USA Badminton athlete won a medal at a World Championship or Olympic competition.
With Gunawan not having the chance to receive his U.S. citizenship in time for the 2008 Olympic Games, Bach has now teamed with Khan "Bob" Malaythong (Rockville, Md./Orange, Calif.) to make the journey on the road to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The new duo hopes that the 2006 U.S. Open will serve as their coming out party on the road to Beijing. Malaythong, originally from Laos, received his U.S. citizenship earlier this year.
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.).
For a complete list of competitors, tournament schedule and event draws please visit http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe541c7172600d7d7213-fdf71578746c007f77107776-ff031575716505or http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe531c7172600d7d721c-fdf71578746c007f77107776-ff031575716505.
USA Badminton has also announced that there will be a live web cast of all U.S. Open finals on Saturday, August 12 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe521c7172600d7d721d-fdf71578746c007f77107776-ff031575716505.
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