KPU Eagles badminton players Leah Rihela (front) and Willis Kwee (back) both gave
outstanding performances in KPU's team silver medal win at the BCCAA Provincial Championships.


 

For immediate release

{C}February 19, 2009
 

KPU Eagles Badminton earn back-to-back silver medals

(METRO VANCOUVER, B.C.) The KPU Eagles badminton team, featuring a mix of veterans and rookies, established themselves as a dominant force in B.C. as they proceeded to win a second consecutive team silver medal at the BCCAA Badminton Provincial Championships in Kamloops. In addition, the Eagles squad also earned a record number of individual medallists with four different medals.

“Obviously I’m happy with our performance and the outcome,” commented head coach Dave Cruthers. “With Douglas [College] in our league, we were up against one of the strongest teams in the country and we knew it was going to be tough to beat them. However, I knew from the beginning of the season that we had the potential to earn another medal.”

Leading the way for the Eagles was rookie sensation Peter Huang (Taiwan) and third-year Leah Rihela (Surrey). The pair earned a silver medal in the mixed doubles event, losing in three close games (21-18, 18-21, 16-21). Despite participating primarily in men’s singles throughout the year, Cruthers decided to play Huang in mixed doubles.

“We decided that playing Peter in mixed doubles gave us the best chance to win a gold medal,” remarked Cruthers. “After winning the first game, I thought that our change in strategy had paid off; but in the end, Douglas showed why they are the champs.”

In addition to Huang and Rihela’s silver medal, the Eagles also earned three bronze medals. Gurdeep Basran (Langley) earned a bronze medal in women’s singles, repeating her performance from last year’s provincial tournament. The Eagles were able to score their second bronze in men’s doubles through the efforts of Simon Wu (Taiwan) and Willis Kwee (Richmond). The Eagles’ last medal was collected in the women’s doubles event as Grace Whang (Surrey) and Asami Sugisaki (Japan) battled to a third game heart-breaker (22-24, 21-17, 15-21) against a team from the tournament hosts, Thompson Rivers University.

KPU BCCAA Badminton Medallists, include:
Peter Huang & Leah Rihela – Silver – Mixed Doubles
Gurdeep Basran – Bronze – Women's Singles
Simon Wu & Willis Kwee – Bronze – Men's Doubles
Grace Whang & Asami Sugisaki – Bronze – Women's Doubles


KPU’s varsity athletics teams are the KPU Eagles. In basketball, soccer, badminton and golf, they compete in national intercollegiate leagues. For more information about the KPU Eagles, visit www.kpu.ca/eagles  

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For more information about the Eagles badminton program, contact:
Elise Le Brun
Director, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604.599.2005
elise.lebrun@kpu.ca

OR

For more information about KPU, contact:
Peter Chevrier
Director, Marketing & Communications
Tel: 604.599.2286
peter.chevrier@kpu.ca