BADMINTON: YONEX IRISH INTERNATION CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008

200 competitors from 22 countries arrive in Dublin this weekend for the 2008 Yonex Irish International Badminton Championships, at Baldoyle Badminton Centre, Baldoyle Dublin 13 which see Ireland's Olympic player Chloe Magee and her partner Huang Bing attempt to retain the Ladies Doubles title which they lifted last year.

Magee and Bing are seeded 2 this year and, should they live up to their seeding and reach the final, potentially faces the tough Danish pairing of Heile Nielsen and Roepeke.

Magee also features in the Mixed Doubles playing with brother Sam where their first round opponents are the young Danish pair of Mikkei Elbojoern and Maria Helsboel.

In the Ladies singles, a win over yet another very tough Danish opponent in the first round would potentially match Magee against Malaysian and then Chinese opposition which would test her improving singles game to its limits.

In the men's singles, Scott Evans (the first man to represent Ireland at badminton in the Beijing games this year, faces stiff first round opposition in Dutchman Lester Oey but he will be hoping to live up to his seeding of 6. Much attention in the Men's event is focussed on 3rd seed Rajiv Ouseph, the rising England star, who has shown fine form lately with some impressive wins on the Super Series Circuit while Hans Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark will get the opportunity to avenge his unexpected 3 set loss to Sweden's Henri Hurskainen in this years Norwegian Open. teams up with England's Richard Wrigley for this event.

Daniel and Sam Magee are the brothers of Chloe and all come from Raphoe in Donegal. David Magee is their cousin.

The Championships run from 4-7th December in Baldoyle Badminton Centre, Grange Road, Baldoyle, Dublin 13. Day, Weekend and Family tickets available. Play commences 1 pm Thursday with qualifying matches. Main draw commences Friday. Finals commence Sunday 11 am.

For more information:
Jean Denihan
Badminton Ireland
086 8099801