2 August, 2023
Rachel Choong and Jack Shephard kickstarted English curiosity on the 4 Nations Para Badminton Worldwide with a gap spherical robin win in Sheffield.
Choong and Shephard began their SH6 blended doubles marketing campaign with a assured victory over Chu Man Kai and Choi Wing Kei, beating the Hong Kong pairing 21-9 21-14.
“It was a good way for us to start out the event. It was our first match and it was a pleasant technique to mattress ourselves in,” mentioned Choong.
“It’s nice coming away with a win in two video games as nicely, simply getting a greater really feel for the corridor. I’m actually happy with how we performed.
“It’s our house event so we wish to do nicely and put in an amazing efficiency right here as we do in every single place, however notably right here at our house venue.”
Shephard added: “I believed it was an amazing first match into the event for us. We’ve been coaching actually laborious as much as this, hoping to place in some good performances.
“Each event we’re studying and getting higher and higher, we maintain displaying that and as we speak was an amazing begin to the event.
“I reside not too removed from right here, so I’ve obtained family and friends supporting who don’t usually see us. It’s wonderful for them to return and see us. It’s only a pleasure to play in entrance of them.”
There was additionally a profitable opening efficiency from SH6 singles star Krysten Coombs, who noticed off Hector Jesus Salva Tunque 21-11 21-5 in his opening group stage encounter.
He mentioned: “It’s an amazing begin for my event – a cushty win. Truthful play to him, he’s an amazing opponent, but it surely’s a very good scoreline to start out with. I’m feeling comfy and I’m able to get into the latter phases.
“It’s essential to simply make myself comfy. We’re on house turf right here which is sensible – we haven’t needed to do a lot travelling to get right here – but it surely’s similar to each different event we go to, simply stress-free and conserving on prime of my sport.”
In WH2 ladies’s singles motion, Sharon Jones-Barnes was overwhelmed 21-2 21-3 by South Korea’s Jung Gyeoul in her opening encounter.
Whereas in WH1 males’s singles motion, David Follet was overwhelmed 21-6 21-6 by Japan’s Osamu Nagashima in his first spherical robin match.
Emma Louise Stoner additionally obtained her marketing campaign underway as she was defeated 21-18 21-6 early within the day in opposition to Palak Kohli within the SL4 ladies’s singles occasion.
