Ekiring told URN on line last evening that he is ready to do his best to see that he gets in the next round, despite the fact that he knows it will not be easy. Ekiring is pooled in Group F alongside Leverdez and Hong Kong’s Wong Wing.
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Africa’s top badminton player Edwin Ekiring will test 2012 Olympics action first this evening before any other Ugandan athlete when he faces France’s Brice Leverdez at 9.49pm (Ugandan time) in the preliminary round at the Wembly Arena in London. Ekiring told URN on line, last evening that he is ready to do his best to see that he gets in the next round, despite the fact that he knows it will not be easy.
Ekiring is pooled in Group F alongside Leverdez and Hong Kong’s Wong Wing. After taking part in several high profile tournaments on Africa, Europe and America, Ekiring is expected to play a better game at the Olympics this time round and not lose miserably like he did at the Beijing Olympics in China four years ago. The other advantage for Ekiring tonight is the fact that since no other Ugandan will be busy in action, all attention from other athletes and officials including the Vice President Edward Ssekandi will focus on him as he goes all out to try and get points from the French player before he takes on the tournament’s number 16 Wing on Monday morning.
If Ekiring can go past the two players, then he could be in line to face the winner between China’s Cheng Long, who is world number three and Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsua. Before leaving Kampala last Sunday, Ekiring’s coach Simon Mugabi told URN that he expects his player to perform better this time because he has been exposed in different International events.
According to the BWF, the 16 group winners will qualify for the knockout stage of the competition which will eventually decide the winners of the medals.
Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei is ranked top for the event, while China’s Lin Dan and Chen Long are second and third respectively. Besides Ekiring Uganda will have 12 athletes line up for field track and field events, two swimmers and one weightlifter at the London Olympics.
