Paris Olympics 2024: Badminton squad continues positive momentum in Paris

PARIS: The badminton squad competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics continued their positive momentum on the third day of competitions as the country's mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei registered a morale-boosting victory here today.

Tang Jie-Ee Wei defied all odds to defeat China's world number two pair Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping 17-21, 21-15, 21-16 in a thrilling three-set encounter that lasted for more than an hour.

Over the weekend, the country's only remaining mixed doubles pair in the competition, had beaten Singapore's Terry Hee-Jessica Tan and Vinson Chiu-Jennie Gai from the United States in straight sets at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena.

The draw for the quarterfinals held today saw Tang Jie-Ee Wei facing Kim Won Ho-Jeong Na Eun, the world number eight pair from South Korea, and paving the path for a semifinal appearence after avoiding the competition two top seeds from China.

The mixed doubles pairs' positive momentum was carried through by former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei in a women's singles Group H match.

The 24-year-old opened her Paris Olympics debut with a 23-21, 21-11 win over Johanita Scholtz from South Africa, ranked 103rd in the world.

Meanwhile, the country's top men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik who have already qualified for the quarterfinals, lost their final Group A match to China's top seeds Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang 22-24, 14-21, tonight.

The loss would see the duo facing a tougher opponent when the draw is made on Tuesday after all the men's doubles group matches are completed.

The main focus on Tuesday will be the survival battle faced by the country's leading women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah to ensure a berth in the quarterfinals as they face Indonesia's Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti in their final Group A match.

The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold medallists who lost to China's world champions Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan on Saturday, bounced back to pull off a pleasant surprise by beating two times world champions Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara from Japan yesterday to revive their hopes.

Off the court, archer Syaqiera Mashayikh will continue her Paris Olympics campaign in the women's individual elimination round tomorrow by taking on Alexandra Mirca from Moldova to ensure a place in the round of 32.

-- BERNAMA