FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 23, 1996

AMERICAN VON HEILAND WINS AT 1996 KOREAN BADMINTON OPEN

(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.) -- American Erika Von Heiland (Anaheim,
Calif.) got off to an excellent start at the 1996 Korean Open, as
she defeated Canadian Elma Ong 8-11, 12-11, 11-8 in the first
round of the women's singles competition.
     Ranked 106th in the world (as of Jan. 4, 1996), Von Heiland
is the highest ranked U.S. women's singles player.  She is also
ranked 30th in women's doubles with partner Linda French
(Elmhurst, Ill.).  They will see action in the women's doubles
competition as well.
     The Korean Open (Seoul, Korea, January 23-27) is a
5-star event on the IBF's World Grand Prix Badminton circuit,
featuring $125,000 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 Thomas and Uber Cup
Preliminaries (Men's and Women's World Team Championships),
February 17-25 in Prague, CZE (European Venue) and Auckland, NZL
(Asian Venue).            

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Opening Round U.S. Results - 1996 Korean Open

Women's Singles
Erika Von Heiland (USA) def. Elma Ong (CAN) 11-7, 11-8

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