FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 28, 1996

MALAYSIA STUNS CHINA, KOREA WINS AT 1996 THOMAS AND UBER CUP
ASIAN ZONE PRELIMINARIES 
  
(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.)  -- Malyasia stunned 1995 Sudirman Cup
champion China 3-2 to win the 1996 Thomas Cup Asian Zone
Championships (February 18-25, Auckland, New Zealand). 
     Malaysia's Rashid Sidek and Pang Chen picked up two points
in singles, and reigning World Grand Prix champions Cheah Soon
Kit and Yap Kim Hock closed the deal by defeating 3rd ranked
Huang Zhanzong and Jiang Xin in a three hour battle 15-6, 15-9.
     National coach Razif Sidek was overjoyed with the victory.
     "It was unbelievable the way the team fought.  If we can
maintain this rate of progress, we will be strong contenders for
the title in Hong Kong."
     Korea grabbed the final spot for the Thomas Cup finals by
blasting Chinese-Taipei 5-0.
     In Uber Cup action, it was more bad news for China, as their
women fell to Korea 3-2.  Japan grabbed the final Uber Cup
slot by defeating Thailand 3-2.
     The Thomas and Uber Cups are the world team badminton
championships for men and women, held every even year.  The top
three Asian qualifiers will meet the three European qualifiers at
the 1996 Thomas and Uber Cup finals (May 17-26, Hong Kong). 
Indonesia's men and women automatically qualified for the finals,
as they won the 1994 Thomas and Uber Cup respectively.   

Final Results - 1996 Men's Thomas Cup Preliminaries - Asian Zone

Championship: Malaysia def. China 3-2

Third Place Playoff: Korea def. Chinese Taipei 5-0

*Malaysia, China, Korea, and Indonesia (1994 Champion) advance to
Thomas Cup Finals.

Final Results - 1996 Uber Cup Preliminaries - Asian Zone

Championship: Korea def. China 3-2

Third Place Playoff: Japan def. Thailand 4-1

*Korea, China, Japan and Indonesia (1994 Champion) advance to
Uber Cup Finals.

1996 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals, (May 17-26 Hong Kong) - List of
Competitors

Thomas Cup: Denmark, Sweden, England, Malaysia, China, Korea, and
Indonesia.

Uber Cup: Denmark, Russia, England, Korea, China, Korea,
Japan, and Indonesia. 

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COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AT 719-578-4808, OR VIA E-MAIL AT
USBA1996@AOL.COM).