Brunei Open Ike Shio Cup

**published by the Borneo Bulletin.**

Bandar Seri Begawan - A Total cash prize of $10,300 will be contested in the Yonex Brunei Open Ike Shio Cup from Jan 24-29 at the Indoor Stadium.

Organised jointly by the Brunei National Badminton Association and Nippon Badminton Association with support from Embassy of Japan, the tournament is divided into Men's Singles and Doubles, Men's Veteran Doubles and Mix Doubles (combined age of not more than 95 years old) and Junior Doubles (U-17).

According to Hj Antin bin Ahad, the president of Brunei National Badminton Association in a press conference yesterday, badminton players from Brunei Darussalam, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are welcome to take part in the tournament.

"We are expecting some 200 to 300 participants for the tournament."

"The tournament which is the beginning of the many future cooperation with the Nippon Badminton Association, is not only set to unearth new talents of the game but also boost the relationship between both countries," Hj Antin added.

On Brunei badminton players' ability to rival those in the region, Okuchi, the Secretariat of the organising committee who is also from the Japanese Embassy said: "In my opinion, Brunei badminton players have skills and vast potential to rise to the international arena. Therefore, they will be able to give a good fight in the tournament."

In addition to the existing matches, four Japanese national badminton players are scheduled to play a few exhibition games against Brunei national badminton players and Indonesian badminton players who are residing in Brunei.

The Japanese national players are Reiko Shiota, Shintaro Ikeda, the Japanese mix doubles team known as Ike-Shio, who are on the path of qualifying for the London 2012 Olympics.

The other two Japanese players are Keita Masuda the singles champion in Japan from 1998 to 2002 and Noriyasu Hirata, one of the Japanese men's doubles champion in 2009.

They will be demonstrating their powerful smashes that could reach up to a speed of 140km/hr.

Registration forms are available from the office of Brunei National Badminton Association at 11th floor of PGGMB or Krisma Sports at 1" floor of Centerpoint Hotel. The registration fee for each player is $20 and the closing date is Jan 18.