FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 26, 1996

CANADA DEFEATS U.S. 5-2 IN DEVLIN CUP BADMINTON

(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.)  --  The Under-21 National Badminton
Team came up short against a strong Canadian team at the Devlin
Cup team tournament in Vancouver, B.C., Canada yesterday.  The
tournament was a best out of seven matches:  two men's singles,
two women's singles, one men's doubles, one women's doubles, and
one mixed doubles.  
     The tournament started out well for the Americans, as Ngoc
Tran (El Sobrante, Calif.) and Stanley Wo (Daly City, Calif.) 
defeated Jennifer Wong (British Colombia) and Jonathan Bolduc
(Quebec) 15-1, 15-8 in mixed doubles.  Lily Chen (Stanford,
Calif.) and Janae Bennett (Phoenix, Ariz.) then met Dhana Khan
(Alberta) and Ali Khan (British Colombia) in women's doubles, and
were promptly crushed 15-1, 15-4.  In men's doubles, Coach Goran
Sterner used some strategy by teaming Howard Bach (San Francisco,
Calif.) with a new partner in Chris Hales (Wooster, Ohio).  The
strategy paid off as the duo defeated Drew Huerter (Ontario) and
Stuart Arthur (Ontario) 17-16, 15-8.
     "I though that Howard (Bach) and Stanley (Wo - Bach's
regular partner) have been somewhat of a lull lately, so I
thought I would mix things up a bit," said Sterner.
     "It turned out very well, as Stanley won in mixed as well. 
I'm not happy with our overall performance however, but I know we
tried our best."   
     In the two women's singles matches, Tran was defeated 11-4,
11-1 by Anthea Poon (Alberta) and Angela Teng (Pasadena, Calif.)
lost to Jody Patrick (Alberta) 11-8, 11-9.  In men's singles
Andrew Ibrahim (Westchester, Calif.) was defeated by Marion
Samuel (Alberta) 15-6, 15-8 and Mark Manha (Miller Place, N.Y.)
lost 15-8, 15-6 to Jean-Francois Mercier (Quebec).

Results:
Men's singles
Jean-Francois Mercier (Quebec) def.  Mark Manha (Miller Place,
N.Y.) 15-8, 15-6
Marion Samuel (Alberta) def.  Andrew Ibrahim (Westchester,
Calif.) 15-6, 15-8

Women's singles
Anthea Poon (Alberta) def.  Ngoc Tran (El Sorbante, Calif.) 11-4,
11-1
Jody Patrick (Alberta) def.  Angela Teng (Pasadena, Calif) 11-8,
11-9

Men's doubles
Howard Bach (San Francisco, Calif.) and Chris Hales (Wooster,
Ohio) def.  Drew Huerter (Ontario) and Stuart Arthur (Ontario)
17-16, 15-8

Women's doubles
Ali Khan (British Columbia) and Dhana Khan (Alberta) def.  Lily
Chen (Stanford, Calif.) and Janae Bennett (Phoenix, Ariz.) 15-1,
15-4

Mixed Doubles
Stanley Wo (Daly City , Calif.) and Ngoc Tran (El Sorbante,
Calif.) def.  Jennifer Wong (British Columbia) and Jonathan
Bolduc (Quebec) 15-1, 15-8
     
     The Devlin Cup is a Under-21 team competition named after
Mr. Frank Devlin, who was one of the most dominant players in
badminton history.  Devlin won five consecutive All-England men's
singles titles from 1924-1929, and six All England men's doubles
titles from 1923-1931.  Devlin was a huge promoter of badminton
in the U.S.  during the 1930's and is the father of U.S.
badminton legends Judy and Sue Devlin.  The event is held in
conjunction with the British Columbia Open (January 26-28), and
is tentatively scheduled to return to the U.S. next year.  

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