FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 25, 1996

AMERICA'S HAN, EDSTROM FALL AT 1996 TA SHAN U.S. OPEN

(ORANGE, Calif.)-It was close but no cigar for Kevin Han (Colorado 
Springs, Colo.) and Andrea Edstrom (Colorado Springs, Colo.) today at 
the $200,000 Hong Ta Shan U.S. Open Badminton Championships, as each 
fell in the round of 16 in mens and womens singles.

Similar to his Olympic performance in Atlanta, Han rolled to a 15-12 
first game victory over Ong Ewe Ock of Malaysia, but did not have enough 
gas to close the deal, as he lost the next tow games 15-9, 15-4.

"I feel I played well today," said Han following his match. "I just 
didn't have enough to finish him off."

Edstrom had a similar match against veteran Denyse Julien of Canada, 
fighting back from a 3-9 deficit to knot the score at 9-9. From there, 
Julien set 3 and took the game 1-9. It was all Julien in the second, as 
she won with ease 11-6.

Quarterfinals in all five events kick off tomorrow at 4:00p.m. at the 
Orange County Badminton Club. Stars in action include 1996 Olympic gold 
medalist Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, as he squares off against Indonesia's 
Budi Santoso at 4:45 p.m. In women's singles, 1996 Olympic silver 
medalist Mia Audina will battle Canada's Kara Solmundsen at 6:20 p.m.

RESULTS - 1996 Hong Ta Shan U.S. Open

MEN'S SINGLES-- 3RD ROUND RESULTS

(#1)Joko Suprianto(Indonesia) def. Andreji Andropov(Russia)15-3, 15-7
(5/8)Ong Ewe Hock(Malaysia) def Kevin Han(Colorado Springs, Colo.)12-
15,15-9,15-4
(3/4)Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen(Denmark) def. Yong Hock Kin(Malaysia)15-
10,15-2
(5/8)Fung Permadi(Chinese-Taipei) def. Iain Sydie(Canada)15-10,15-6
Hwang Sun Ho(Korea) def. (5/8)Indra Wijaya(Indonesia)6-15,15-12,15-7
(3/4)Rashid Sidek(Malaysia) def Kenneth Erichsen(Guatemala)15-6,15-3
Budi Santoso(Indonesia) def. (5/8)Pang Chen(Malaysia)15-6,15-5
(#2)Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen(Denmark) def. Mike Beres(Canada)15-11,15-1