(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Top Chinese shuttler is looking forward to competing in Dubai.
Youngsters engrossed with the demonstration session as Chen goes for a low forehand return on Tuesday. Supplied photo
Dubai: With less than two months to go until the season-ending BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals badminton fever hit Dubai on Tuesday night with reigning world champion China’s Chen Long showing the younger crop of talent in the UAE the finer points of the sport.
Chen who won the world championships in Copenhagen earlier this year by beating his greatest rival and world number one Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei was in Dubai to promote the Destination Dubai Superseries Finals and to engage with schoolchildren and players involved in the Shuttle Time Dubai grassroots initiatives linked to the event.
Chen talked to the Khaleej Times while taking a close look at the facilities at the Hamdan Sports Complex in the afternoon the venue for the Destination Dubai Superseries Finals from December 17 to 21.
Only the top eight players in the world qualify for the Destination Dubai Superseries Finals and a shot at collecting a share of the $1million prize pool. Chen who won the Finals in 2012 but missed out on qualifying last year is in second position on the BWF Destination Dubai rankings behind Lee Chong Wei and on current form should be a certainty to make the cut for the event.
“It’s a magnificent venue I am really looking forward to competing here in December” Chen said. “I’m excited at the prospect of playing at such a state-of-the-art facility it’s great to bring this event to an area that hasn’t had world class badminton before and I am sure that sports fans will have a wonderful time watching the best in the world play for the title.”
During the early part of the day Chen engaged himself with local schoolchildren who are being introduced to badminton through the Shuttle Time schools initiative. The children from Sultan Al Owais Boys School Al Ahmadiya School and Ahmed Sulayem School were delighted to have the world champion visit to give them a demonstration and some tips.
“I think introducing badminton in schools is a brilliant initiative. This is the best way to create a legacy from hosting the Superseries Finals and develop a generation of future stars. I look forward to seeing players from the UAE on the world circuit in years to come.”
Chen’s last stop of the day was at the second Shuttle Time Dubai Open at Mirdiff City Centre. The Shuttle Time Dubai Opens are a series of tournaments aimed at increasing participation in badminton as part of a major grassroots project linked to the Superseries Finals.
The tournaments are part of Dubai’s four-year multi-platform partnership with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) facilitated by Falcon and Associates the pinnacle of which will be the staging of the annual Superseries Finals which will be held in the city each December until 2017.
The badminton superstar’s appearance at the Mirdiff created great excitement among the competitors and spectators with Shuttle Time Dubai coordinator Jaffer Ebrahim saying: “World champion Chen Long’s visit to the Mirdiff City Centre was fantastic and it was a real treat for the players to see the him demonstrate a few tricks. The Shuttle Time Opens are a major component of the BWF’s efforts to groom a new generation of players and enthusiasts here in the country and having Chen Long in our midst was very inspirational for everyone.” Chen managed to take some time out in between his badminton-related activities to have lunch with some Chinese business leaders and visit some of the famous landmarks of Dubai including the Burj Khalifa. He also went on an abra ride learning more about the history of the Emirate as he visited the historical parts of town.
monikhaleejtimes.com
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