FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 23, 1996

KOREA'S PARK CONTINUES COMBACK TRAIL, AMERICANS FALL AT 1996
YONEX JAPAN OPEN

(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.) -- All eyes were on Korea's Park Joo
Bong at the 1996 Yonex Japan Open as the veteran 1992 Olympic
men's doubles champion is staging a comeback to qualify for the
1996 Games.  He and partner Ra Kyung Min continued in the right
direction Sunday, as they blasted Kim Dong Moon and Gil Young Ah
in the mixed doubles final 15-7, 15-1.
     In men's singles, Indonesia's Joko Suprianto defeated
countrymen Heryanto Arbi in a dogfight 15-12, 14-18, 15-4.  Kevin
Han (Colorado Springs, Colo.) looked to be the top hope for the
U.S. in the event, but was unfortunately forced to withdraw from
the competition due to illness.  American Tom Reidy (Brooklyn,
N.Y.) had an early exit in the singles competition, as he was
defeated by Canada's Iain Sydie (CAN) 15-4, 15-5.  
     Men's doubles was an all Indonesian affair, with all four
semifinal teams haling from the badminton hot bed.  In the end,
it was Ricky A. Subagja and Rexy Mainaky prevailing over
countrymen Tony Gunawan and Bambang Suprianto 15-8, 12-15, 15-12.
     Women's doubles was a battle between Korea and China, with
the Korean's Gil Young Ah and Jang Hye Ock coming out on top, as
they defeated number one world ranked Gei Fei and Gu Jun 15-5,
14-17, 15-10.  American's Linda French (Elmhurst, Ill.) and Erika
Von Heiland (Anaheim, Calif.) were defeated in the first round by
the tough Canadian combination of Denyse Julien and Sian Deng 15-
9, 15-3.  
     The Yonex Japan Open (Tokyo, Japan, January 16-21) is a
5-star event on the IBF's World Grand Prix Badminton circuit,
featuring $150,000 in prize money.  It is also an Olympic
Qualifying Event, which will effect athletes' world player
rankings.  The 192 person field (36 - men's singles, 36 - women's
singles, 40 men's doubles pairs, 40 women's doubles pairs, and 40
mixed doubles pairs) for the 1996 Olympic badminton competitiion
will be selected based on the International Badminton
Federation's (IBF) official world ranking list as of March 31,
1996.  The IBF will announce the badminton field for the 1996
Olympic Games no later than April 15, 1996.  The next IBF World
Grand Prix/Olympic Qualifying Event is the five-star Korean Open,
January 23-27 in Seoul.            

Finals Results - 1996 Yonex Japan Open

Men's Singles
Joko Suprianto (INA) def. Heryanto Arbi (INA) 15-12, 14-18, 15-4

Women's Singles
Ye Zhaoying (CHN) def. Susi Susanti (INA) 11-7, 11-8

                         -MORE-

Men's Doubles
Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky (INA) def. Tony Gunawan and
Bambang Suprianto 15-8, 12-15, 15-12

Women's Doubles
Gil Young Ah and Jang Hye Ock (KOR) def. Ge Fei & Gu Jun (CHN)
15-5, 14-17, 15-10

Mixed Doubles
Park Joo Bong and Ra Kyung Min def. Kim Dong Moon and Gil Young
Ah 15-7, 15-1.  

U.S. Results

Men's Singles
Iain Sydie (CAN) def. Tom Reidy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 15-4, 15-3

Women's Doubles
Denyse Julien and Sian Deng (CAN) def. Linda French (Elmhurst,
Ill.) and Erika Von Heiland (Anaheim, Calif.) 15-9, 15-3

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(FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT PAUL PAWLACZYK, USBA
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AT 719-578-4808)