Third PSC-GCC Open Invitational Tournament kicks off – Prominent names, top-ranked players take part in IBAK tourney

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KUWAIT CITY, Sept 9: The Third PSC-GCC Open Invitational Tournament conducted by the Indian Badminton Association of Kuwait (IBAK), an affiliate of the Kuwait Badminton Federation, kicked off at the IBAK gym, Salwa, Friday.

The three-day tournament consists of both, the team and open events, hosts 15 top-ranked international players, eight teams. In the open event 245 players are taking part across 17 events.

Some of the prominent names of players taking part in the tournament are Rupesh Kumar, a former Indian international, Shreyansh Jaiswal, a prodigy from India, Imam Adi Kusuma, an Indonesian international player, Heri Setiwan and several other top-ranked players from England, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines and India.

The tournament format comprises of men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, veterans (above 45 years as on Dec 31, 2015) doubles and mixed doubles.

A player can play maximum of two games in a tie but can appear in only one men’s doubles (a player cannot play in two men’s doubles).

A maximum number of players allowed per team, is nine.

All players who are in the team are also eligible to take part in the open format and the entry strictly restricted to two eligible categories.

The details of the tournament are as under, Men’s Open, singles is open to all; Men’s Open Flight 1 doubles open to all; Men’s Open Flight 2 doubles to be segregated into two categories strictly based on the tournament committee’s decision; Men’s Veterans double, Women doubles, open to all.

Boys and girls under 11, singles/doubles, should be below 11 years as on Dec 31, 2015; in the under 14 category, singles/doubles, below 14 years as on Dec 31, 2015; in the under 17 category, singles/doubles, below 17 years as on Dec 31, 2015.

The tournament was declared open by the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, His Excellency Sunil Jain along with the President of the Kuwait Badminton Association Capt Ali Al-Maree.

IBAK which was founded in April 2010 as a non-profit organization over six years has over 600 registered members. In line with its vision regularly provides coaching for beginners and advanced players, which is done by reputed overseas coaches for two months.

IBAK also conducts competitive tournaments throughout the year and also participates in overseas tournaments.

The upcoming tournaments include IBAK Coaching Tournament, IBAK Interclub Tournament, IBAK Master Cup, IBAK Inter Association Tournament and IBAK Interschool Tournament.

IBAK has developed into an organization which is now ready to take up bigger challenges in future. In addition to the regular tournaments featured in its annual calendar, IBAK will pursue BWF Shuttle time starting December 2016 and International Challenge in October 2017.

By Paul Francis X. Fernandes

Arab Times Staff

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