Asian Para Games 2018: Who has the Potential?

The world is waiting for the hottest Para-badminton competition that will appear at the upcoming Asian Para Games 2018. The events will be held at Indonesia where 17 world champions will join the hustle to conquer the sport. The participating shuttlers are from the BWF Para-badminton World Championships 2017, who will be biting the bullet with on another.

From 19 independent countries, 157 athletes will compete in the eight-day event, held at the Istora Venue of the Gelora Bung Karno Sports complex. The athletes will battle for 19 medals.

In the Para-badminton squad of the host nation, there are four world champions and Indonesia has high hopes from the athletes. The squad also comprise the star athlete Ukun Rakaendi. In the previous World Championships, initially, he was despite being an unseeded player, Ukun surprised everyone by winning double gold medals. On the other hand, the top female player, Leani Ratri Oktila has been rendering absolutely stunning performance and had a brilliant season this year. At the Thailand Open, that took place in July, Leani remained a hit as she pulled three gold medals in the Singles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles category.

In the Women’s competition, the Chinese shuttlers can be dominating as they have Li Hongyan in their squad. The tremendous athlete who delivered an explicit performance at the international event of the Asian Championships 2016. It was her first major title, which she conquered in the decider match of the WH 1 Singles after surmounting her compatriot and the commanding world champion Wang Ping. In 2017, Hongyan remained consistent and won the WH 1 Singles title at the World Championships and Women’s Doubles title in the WH 1-2 with her partner Tang Fan.

The teen sensation Liu Yutong has also joined the Chinese women world champions. Yutong fetched a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships WH-2 event. She will be the youngest Para-shuttler to partake in the event that will hold in Jakarta.

Talking about the Male participants for the Badminton event, Wong Chun Yin of Hong Kong will compete in the SS6 event. The player is in a superior form and is anticipated to take the crown. Recently at the Thailand Open, Chun Yin thwarted the dominant world champion Jack Shepherd of Great Britain. On the other hand, ace shuttler Kim Jungjun of South Korea has the calibre to capture the Men’s WH2 singles event for the second time. However, Chan Ho Yuen of Hong Kong will move heaven and earth in order to stop Jungjin to secure the title. In the Thai Open held in July, Yuen lost against Jungjun with a narrow difference.

The upcoming sport is also a part of all the three editions of the Asian Para Games. However, for the first time, the event will be featured as a part of the Paralympics Games programme in Tokyo 2020. AT the event, top-shuttlers and world champions will hail from Asia, to rock the arena with the thrill and suspense.