Singapore clinch bronze in badminton mixed team event
BIRMINGHAM - Singapore's shuttlers claimed a bronze medal in the badminton mixed team event at the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday (Aug 2), after beating England 3-0 in the third place play-off.
This was the Republic's second victory over the hosts in this year's competition - they won 4-1 in the group stage - and also avenged their loss to England at the 2018 Gold Coast Games where they finished fourth.
Despite a vocal home crowd at the National Exhibition Centre, mixed doubles pair Terry Hee and Jessica Tan kept their composure to defeat Ben Lane and Lauren Smith 21-17, 25-23 and give Singapore the early lead.
The next match, a men's singles clash between world champion Loh Kean Yew and 54th-ranked Toby Penty, was equally tight despite the difference in world ranking.
Loh is ninth in the world and had easily beaten Penty 21-12, 21-12 in their group stage encounter. But the Englishman was in inspired form in their rematch.
He won the first game 25-23 before Loh recovered in the second game 21-11 to draw level.
Penty then saved five match points before Loh eventually prevailed 25-23 in the decider to put Singapore 2-0 up.
Yeo Jia Min then secured the bronze as she beat Freya Redfearn 21-18, 21-14 in the women's singles.
Singapore's shuttlers returned empty handed at the 2018 Games in Australia. At the 2014 edition in Glasgow, they clinched two silvers (men's singles and doubles) and a bronze (mixed team).
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