E-Paper
Xia Xuanze
World badminton champion Xia Xuanze was dropped from the Olympic team after a series of poor performances and injury problems.
Born: May 1, 1978
Country: China
Event: Badminton
Olympic Record:
Sydney Olympics: Bronze medallist
Other Records:
2003 World Championship: Winner
2003 Japan Open: Winner
1999 Holland Open, champion in men's singles event.
1999 Germany Open, champion in men's singles event.
2000 Britain Open, champion in men's singles event.
2000 Sweden Open, champion in men's singles event.
World badminton champion Xia Xuanze has been dropped from China's formidable Olympic team after a series of poor performances in recent months.
Xia Xuanze debuted in November 1989 and joined the national team in February, 1996. Since then he has been consistently performing at the international scenario for the country.
He is a right-handed player who loves to attack and won the hearts for many when he won the British Open and Swedish Open. He suddenly escalated to became a star on the Chinese badminton team.
The Sydney Olympics bronze medallist and 2003 world champion has been hampered by nagging injuries, the reason given by the authorities for his exclusion.
But his poor run could also have played on the mind of the selectors. As he lost in the second round at the All England Championships in March and failed to defend his 2003 Malaysia Open title in June. World number two Chen Hong replaces him in the Chinese squad for Athens.
