September 23, 1996

1996 Hong Ta Shan U.S. Open Kicks Off Monday With Qualifying Round, 
Opening Rounds Commence Tomorrow

(Orange, Calif.)-The first shuttlecocks of the $200,000 1996 Hong Ta 
Shan U.S. Open flew today, as the qualifying round in men's singles 
opened the competition. Four athletes, including Orange County residents 
Quyen Nguyen (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and Djeelee Rangtung (Lake Forest, 
Calif.) advanced to the main draw of the men's singles competition.

The opening rounds of the main draw will begin tomorrow in men's 
singles, women's singles, and men's doubles, beginning at 12:00 noon at 
the Orange County Badminton Club. The following are some of tomorrow's 
key match-ups, with seeds in parenthesis.


MEN'S SINGLES

(#1, 1995 World Champion) Joko Suprianto (INA) vs. Guilhenme Pardo (BRA) 
2:20 p.m.

(9/16, 1996 Olympian) Kevin Han (Colorado Springs, Colo.) vs. Pedro Yong 
Ruix (GUA) 2:35 p.m.

(#2, 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist) Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (DEN) vs. Paul 
Leyow (JAM)8:20 p.m.

Local Athletes of Interest:
Ignatius Rusli (Orange, Calif.) vs. (9/16) Andrej Andropov (RUS) 2:25 
p.m.

Hoang Ly (Orange, Calif.) vs. (3/4, Olympic Bronze Medalist) Thomas 
Stuer-Luridsen (DEN) 2:55 p.m.

Dejeelee Rantung (Lake Forest, Calif.) vs. Oscar Brandon (SUR) 3:30p.m.

Quyen Nguyen (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) vs. (5/8) Pang Chen (MAS) 8:10 p.m.


WOMEN'S SINGLES

Kathy Zimmerman (Colorado Springs, Colo.) vs. Jody Patrick (CAN) 8:05 
p.m.

Local Athletes of Interest:

(5/8) Debra O'Conner (TRI) vs. Shannon Hsu (Costa Mesa, Calif.) 5:20 
p.m.


MEN'S DOUBLES

(#1, 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalists) Antonius/Denny Kantono (INA) vs. 
Mike Beres/Bryan Moody (CAN) 8:05 p.m.

Narith Lao (Rosemead, Calif.) /Dejeelee Rantang (Lake Forest, Calif.) 
vs. Chris Trenholme/Morten Auscher (CAN) 8:40 p.m.

Local Athletes of Interest:

Hoang Ly (Orange, Calif.)/Yao Ximing (Orange, Calif.) vs. Mike 
Thich/Sean Girty (CAN) 9:15 p.m.

Quyen Nguyen (Aliso Visjo, Calif.)/Marc Padre (San Diego, Calif.) vs. 
Paul Leyow/Roy Paul (JAM) 9:20 p.m.

Ignatius Rusli (Orange, Calif./Jonatan Solaimon (Chino Hills, Calif.) 
vs. Ha Ta Kwon/Kim Dong Moon (KOR) 9:25 p.m.

(#2 1996 Olympic Silver Medalists) Yap Kim Hock/Cheah Soon Kit (MAS) vs. 
Budy Sumarli (Rowland Hts., Calif.) Howard Bach (Colorado Springs, 
Colo.) 10:25 p.m.

The Grand Opening Ceremony for the 1996 Hong Ta Shan U.S. Open will also 
take place tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Featured performers include a Chinese 
lion dance and drum performance, along with 13-year-old singer/actor 
Christopher Parker (Los Alamitos, Calif.), who has appeared on 
television programs "Coach" and "Major Dad," singing the National 
Anthem.

Tickets for tomorrow's competition are $5 General Admission, and may be 
purchased by calling the Orange County Badminton Club at (714) 639-6222.

Monday's Qualifying Results - 1996 Hong Ta Shan U.S. Open:

Quyen Nguyen (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) def. Anthony Mohammad (Alhambra, 
Calif.) by default - Nguyen advances to Main Draw.

Djeelee Rantung (Lake Forest, Calif.) def. Ian Zuniga (Manhattan Beach, 
Calif.) by default.
Rantung def. Sean Girty (CAN) 15-4, 15-3 - Rantung advances to Main 
Draw.

Ko Siew Sun (San Gabriel, Calif.) def. Narith Lao (Rosemead, calif.) 8-
15, 18-17, 15-9.
Marc Padre (San Diego, Calif.) def. Ko Siew Sun 15-4, 15-1 - Padre 
advances to Main Draw

Mike Thich (CAN) def. Tey Kiam Ming (San Francisco, Calif.) by default.
James Young (Palo Alto, Calif. def. Mike Thich 15-4, 15-10 - Young 
advances to Main Draw.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT PAUL PAWLACZYK AT (714) 639-6222.