University Games 2003

Australian University Games 2003 Newcastle NSW

Men's Team (L-R)
Stuart Gomez, Whyeeow Ho, Lance Mintaja, Kevin Koh, Vincent Fong & Jonathan Koh

Women's Team (L-R)
Eva Ratanasena, Tina Ng, Candy Han, Yi-Ching Lee, Vivian Cheung & Mindy Tan

The annual Australian University Games were held from 28 Sept - 3 Oct 2003 in the city of Newcastle. This year's badminton games saw the women's team facing tough competition in a pool of 7, having to play off against 6 other universities before fighting for a place in the semi-finals & then the finals. The men's team event was divided into 4 pools of 3, with quarter-finals, semi-finals & then the finals. Order of play was 3, 2, 1 Singles & 2, 1 Doubles. The women's & men's draws were respectively:

The UNSW women's team won all their matches convincingly in the pool rounds and faced UMELB in the semi-finals. With a good start and a win in the 3rd Singles, our women's team then went on to defeat UMELB 5 - 0 to secure a place in the finals against USYD. The women's finals were scheduled to be a match of the titans, with both sides having faced off in friendly but fiercely fought competitions before. Armed with supporters and a barrage or makeshift cheering equipment such as shuttlecock tubes and empty water barrels, both sides erupted in screams and shouts that shook the very foundations of the badminton hall.

UNSW drew first blood by Vivian Cheung clinching the 3rd singles but USYD fought back to secure the 2nd Singles. At 1-1, the 1st women's singles was a fiercely contested one between our top woman singles player Eva Ratanasena and USyd's Corianne, with UNSW finally winning the 1st Singles 11-6, 11-9.

Now 2-1 ahead of USYD, UNSW required just one more match to win overall and emerge as woman's champions. With so much on the line for both teams, the 2nd Doubles was an exciting and closely fought match, both sides determined not to let the other get the upper hand. Trailing USYD in the 1st set, the UNSW doubles pair of Yi-Ching Lee and Candy Han pushed on to win the 1st set 15-13 to the cheers of the UNSW crowd. However, the 2nd set saw a reversal in fortunes as USYD put on the pressure and won it 15-2. By now, supporters of both UNSW and USYD were up on their feet, screaming and yelling in excitement and apprehension.

The rubber set started with much tension in the air, but a change in the style of play of the UNSW pair along with immense support from the UNSW crowd saw UNSW win the 3rd and deciding set with a convincing score of 15-4. With the fall of the last shuttlcock, the entire UNSW team and its supporters erupted in screams of joy as the realization hit home that our women's team had clinched Gold. Despite the outcome of the finals having been determined, both sides sportingly played the last match of the day, the women's first doubles, with USYD ultimately winning that in what was again an exiciting 3-setter.

With the women's finals complete, all attention was not turned towards the men's finals, which saw long time rivals UNSW versus University of Swinburne. The hall was not split into 2 camps of supporters, with all teams aligning themselves with either the state of New South Wales or Victoria. The 3rd Men's Singles saw UNSW's Jonathan Koh putting up a fierce fight against Victorian State Representative Shane Grund after losing the 1st set to win back the 2nd set. The rubber set was closely fought as each pit their skills against the other, but Swinburne eventually won the rubber set 15-12.

Swinburne's 2nd Singles proved too strong a competition despite valiant efforts from our 2nd Singles player Kevin Koh, and by the end of the 2nd Singles, University of Swinburne were 2-0 ahead of UNSW. Stuart Gomez our men's 1st Singles, kept the UNSW flag and hopes flying as he won his match convincingly to keep our men's team in the running for Gold. With so much at hand, our 2nd Doubles pair of Jonathan Koh and Kevin Koh dug deep and secured a win in their 2nd Doubles match, much to the joy and relief of the UNSW team and supporters.

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