DEAF SPORTS Badminton Deaflympics

Ladies Singles

Laura Burns was very nervous playing with Babalova (Slovakia) playing many smashes into the net but when she found her ground, she made sure those shuttles went away. A good performance with Laura folioing everything through the net but the Slovakian Champion read the game quickly and won at 21-9, 21-10.

Amy Mc Millan's game with Kazakhstan player, Urazaliyeva turned out to be a good game, with some nice net shots, but the Kaz player drops and slices were good leaving Mc Millan nowhere to be seen. The tight net shots in reply meant strong sham to finish point at 21-3, 21-7. Both played well and moved the shuttle about and moving well left Coach Higgins applauding at Amy's performance.

Men's singles

Jim Lawlor took the court against Alexander Hurley (Great Britain), an excellent match played in a very sportsmanlike way. An example being when Lawlor hit a shot to the back of the line that landed in but was given out in error by the lines judge. However Hurley overruled both the line judge and Umpire by hitting the shuttle back to Kim and indicating that the shuttle was good- a great gesture of sportsmanship!

Lawlor played his best match of the tournament so far as he played flawless in the first set by making his opponent visit all four corners of his court and retrieving his opponents powerful smashes with some very tight blocks back to the net- Lawlor took first set at 21-14

As 2nd set came, it was crucial as Hurley upped the speed in his game and took an important 2 to 3 point lead which he never relinquished. Hurley ran out 21-14 winner in this set, but Lawlor continued to play some high quality singles in the brutal heat on the court.

As the 3rd set followed the pattern of the 2nd set with Hurley opening up a 2 to 3 point gap in the opening exchanges saw Lawlor struggling to maintain his previously flawless length in his clears. Hurley took the 3rd set at 21-14 but Lawlor is proud of his performance against the GB player, both provided some high quality play.

Louth man, John Kelly took the court against Indonesia man, Rohman running out at 21-16, 21-14 winner of two fantastic sets. Kelly displayed huge concentration skills and no means Badminton skill to battle a fast and young opponent in the 30 degrees conditions, however Kelly rallied his opponent to the four corners and used his strong smashes down the lines to great effect. This was Kelly's best match of the Deaflympics so far.

Kelly says "with the hot conditions in here there were times it felt like there was no room to breathe after long rallies but I gave it my all and I enjoyed it"

Tomorrow the Badminton team faces the Doubles: Kelly and Burns up first against Korean players who won the team events.