Badminton: U.S. Olympic team goes through Villa Park

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Word here at the Orange County Badminton Club is that three members of the U.S. Olympic Badminton team have ties to Villa Park High School.

Invitations to the quadrennial were sent out today by the World Badminton Federation, but USA Badminton is not likely to announce the team until Monday. Expectations are, however, that the U.S. will get five invites. Two of the expected players, Eva Lee and May Mangkalakiri, played at Villa Park and another, Bob ‘Khan’ Malaythong, was a coach at the school.

Maylaythong coached Villa Park to a record sixth consecutive Southern Section team title in 2006 and Lee, the No. 1-ranked womens’ singles player in the nation, won four Southern Section titles (two singles and two mixed-doubles) while at the school in 2003 and 2004.

The other two players expected to get invites are Howard Bach, Malaythong’s doubles partner, and Raju Rai, the No. 1 men’s singles player in the nation. Some of you, even if you don’t follow badminton, may recognize Bach and Malaythong from this Vitamin Water commercial.

-- Jaime Cardenas

-- Image by Jaime Cardenas