Kenyan’s badminton plans

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33433, 15 January 1974, Page 14

Kenyan’s badminton plans

The team manager of the Kenyan badminton team (Mr G. Puri) hopes that before the Commonwealth Games end moves will have begun to establish an African Federation of Badminton.

Mr Puri says that the development of badminton in , Africa is hampered by the! } lack of competition and inter-i nation experience. He will discuss the possi-j bility of forming a federation. with other African team man-i agers attending the Games. | “I have come to Christchurch with the idea of form-j ing a federation so that the, African countries will have, more opportunity to play! against each other and obtain more competition. "At present, the Kenyans' play mainly amongst them- < selves, and wp must go fur-!’ ther afield,” said said. J Mr Puri said the Kenyans, i as well as the other Afri-| can countries, had entered i the Games to gain more ex- i perience. <

Malawi and Tanzania an i competing in a Games bad minton tournament for th< [first time, and two othei (competing countries, Keny: iand Mauritius, entered ir their first Games tournamem at Edinburgh four years ago ! Mr Puri said that a few years ago the Kenyan ath | letes and boxers were getting nowhere. “But now they are recognised, and I hope this will happen with badminton, too.” He said Kenya was endeavouring to obtain a full-time coach. Coaching was very weak. "As soon as this happens, then the standard will improve.” Mr Puri’s hopes for a medal lie with the singles player. S. Hassanali, and the doubles combination of V. K.

Maini and S. Gulam. Hassanali, Gulam, and the fourth competitor, P. R. Modi, are competing in their second Games tournament. N.Z. MORALE In the New Zealand camp, morale is high in spite of the late withdrawal of the team’s singles specialist, J. W. S. Compton (Wellington),

| The Auckland player, W. [Johns, will now play in three j events. He replaces Compton i in the men’s singles, and will! [also compete in the men’s: 'doubles and mixed doubles I events. ■ Interest for the badminton ■players today will centre on | the draw, which will be made at the Games village.