Leanne Choo

Last updated

Leanne Choo
Personal information
Full nameLeanne Nyuk Lian Choo
周玉蓮
CountryAustralia
Born (1991-06-05) 5 June 1991 (age 34)
Ashford, Adelaide, South Australia
Residence Melbourne, Victoria
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
HandednessLeft
Women's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking22
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Oceania Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Papeete Mixed doubles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 North Harbour Women's doubles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 North Harbour Mixed doubles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 Ballarat Women's doubles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Invercargill Women's doubles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2018 Hamilton Women's doubles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2018 Hamilton Mixed doubles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2012 Ballarat Mixed doubles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Invercargill Women's singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Invercargill Mixed doubles
Oceania Mixed Team Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2016 AucklandMixed team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2010 InvercargillMixed team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2008 NouméaMixed team
Oceania Women's Team Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2018 HamiltonWomen's team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2016 AucklandWomen's team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2010 InvercargillWomen's team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2008 NouméaWomen's team
BWF profile

Leanne Choo (born 5 June 1991) is a badminton player from Australia. [1] She is the reigning Oceania Champion in women's and mixed doubles. She represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics, alongside former women's doubles partner, Renuga Veeran. Choo also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Contents

Personal

Leanne Choo, nicknamed Choo, was born in Adelaide, South Australia. She attended Glen Osmond Primary School and graduated from Glenunga International High School. In 2010, she enrolled at the University of Adelaide to pursue a degree in architecture and is now pursuing a degree in neuroscience. [2] [3]

Choo is a member of the Sturt Badminton Club, the largest badminton club in South Australia. [4]

Career

Early career – 2012

Choo started playing badminton when she was eight years old. [2] She rose to prominence as a junior, becoming the first South Australian to win a triple crown at a national event. Due to her ongoing success, she was made a member of the Australian National Team. As a member of the national team, she is based at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, in Melbourne, Victoria. [5]

Choo has represented Australia multiple times including at the 2006, 2007 and 2009 BWF World Junior Championships. She continued representing Australia at a junior level at the 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney and the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India. Her senior debut was at the 2010 Uber Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She also competed at the 2012 edition in Wuhan, China. Choo has also represented Australia at the World Mixed Team Championships, the Sudirman Cup in 2011 and 2015. [2]

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, Choo began her partnership with Renuga Veeran. The pair almost staged an upset in the quarterfinals against the number one seeds from Singapore, Yao Lei and Shinta Mulia Sari. This was the first international tournament in which Choo and Veeran competed. [3] [6] The duo officially formed their partnership soon afterwards.

Choo and Veeran competed at the 2011 BWF World Championships in London where they reached the second round. The pair demolished Steffi Annys and Severine Corvilain of Germany 21–6, 21–9 in the first round before losing to 10th seeds, and eventual bronze medalists of the 2012 Summer Olympics, Valeria Sorokina and Nina Vislova of Russia in three games. [7]

2012 Summer Olympics

Choo was part of Australia's badminton team contingent at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, her Olympic debut as a 21-year-old. [3] [8] [9] [10] At the end of the Olympic qualifying period, Choo and Veeran were ranked 35th in the world. During the qualifying process, their ranking peaked at 26. [11] At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Choo and Veeran performed well in their round robin matches, thrashing their South African opponents and staying in contention with their Korean and Indonesian opponents, ranked world number three end eight respectively at the time. Unfortunately, they placed third in their pool and could not advance to the quarterfinals.

However, four pairs, including Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii of Indonesia, and Ha Jung Eun and Kim Min Jung of Korea, were disqualified from the competition. The pairings were disqualified for "not using one's best efforts to win a match" and "conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport" as they were intentionally trying to lose matches in order to secure an easier quarterfinal draw.

Choo and Veeran therefore advanced to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by Alex Bruce and Michelle Li of Canada. They finished in 5th place, the best result in Australia's history of Olympic badminton. [12] [13]

Results from 2012 Summer Olympics

RoundDateOpponentScoreResult
Group C

Pool Match 1

28 July 2012 Flag of Indonesia.svg Meiliana Jauhari

Flag of Indonesia.svg Greysia Polii

21–0 21–0 (DSQ)

(11–21 21–19 14–21)

Win
Group C

Pool Match 2

29 July 2012 Flag of South Africa.svg Michelle Claire Edwards

Flag of South Africa.svg Annari Viljoen

21–9 21–7Win
Group C

Pool Match 2

30 July 2012 Flag of South Korea.svg Ha Jung Eun

Flag of South Korea.svg Kim Min Jung

21–0 21–0 (DSQ)

(7–21 19–21)

Win
Quarterfinals1 August 2012 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Alex Bruce

Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Michelle Li

9–21 21–18 18–21Loss

2014 – present

In April 2014, Choo formed her partnership with Robin Middleton in mixed doubles. In June 2016, the pair qualified for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. She also competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, in both the women's doubles, with Veeran, and the mixed team. [14]

Achievements

Oceania Championships

Women's singles

YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2010 Stadium Southland,
Invercargill
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Chia Chi Huang 7–21, 8–21 Med 3.png Bronze

Women's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
2018 Eastlink Badminton Stadium,
Hamilton, New Zealand
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran Flag of Australia (converted).svg Setyana Mapasa
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gronya Somerville
14–21, 20–22 Med 2.png Silver
2015 X-TRM North Harbour Badminton Centre,
Auckland, New Zealand
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gronya Somerville Flag of Australia (converted).svg Talia Saunders
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jennifer Tam
21–14, 21–11 Med 1.png Gold
2012 Ken Kay Badminton Stadium,
Victoria, Australia
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ann-Louise Slee
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Eugenia Tanaka
21–16, 21–13 Med 1.png Gold
2010 Stadium Southland,
Invercargill, New Zealand
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kate Wilson-Smith Flag of Australia (converted).svg Leisha Cooper
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ann-Louise Slee
22–20, 21–11 Med 1.png Gold

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
2018 Eastlink Badminton Stadium,
Hamilton, New Zealand
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matthew Chau Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sawan Serasinghe
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Setyana Mapasa
19–21, 18–21 Med 2.png Silver
2016 Punaauia University Hall,
Papeete, Tahiti
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Robin Middleton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Anthony Joe
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Joy Lai
21–11, 21–9 Med 1.png Gold
2015X-TRM North Harbour Badminton Centre,
Auckland, New Zealand
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Robin Middleton Flag of New Zealand.svg Oliver Leydon-Davis
Flag of New Zealand.svg Danielle Tahuri
21–12, 21–14 Med 1.png Gold
2012 Ken Kay Badminton Stadium,
Victoria, Australia
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Glenn Warfe Flag of Australia (converted).svg Raymond Tam
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Eugenia Tanaka
17–21, 19–21 Med 2.png Silver
2010 Stadium Southland,
Invercargill, New Zealand
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Chad Whitehead Flag of New Zealand.svg Henry Tam
Flag of New Zealand.svg Donna Haliday
17–21, 24–22, 14–21 Med 3.png Bronze

BWF International Challenge/Series

Women's doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
2018North Harbour International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran Flag of New Zealand.svg Sally Fu
Flag of New Zealand.svg Susannah Leydon-Davis
21–6, 21–12Gold medal icon.svgWinner
2017 Yonex / K&D Graphics International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Rachel Honderich
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kristen Tsai
12–21, 15–21Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
2017 Jamaica International Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Rachel Honderich Flag of Jamaica.svg Mikaylia Haldane
Flag of Jamaica.svg Katherine Wynter
21–2, 21–8Gold medal icon.svgWinner
2014 Auckland International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gronya Somerville Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Chang Ching-hui
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Chang Hsin-tien
11–6, 8–11, 10–11, 9–11Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
2014Victorian International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran Flag of Indonesia.svg Keshya Nurvita Hanadia
Flag of Indonesia.svg Devi Tika Permatasari
13–21, 11–21Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
2011Altona International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran Flag of New Zealand.svg Amanda Brown
Flag of New Zealand.svg Stephanie Cheng
22–20, 21–11Gold medal icon.svgWinner
2010Altona International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kate Wilson-Smith Flag of Australia (converted).svg He Tian Tang
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Renuga Veeran
15–21, 15–21Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
2010 Tahiti International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kate Wilson-Smith Flag of Germany.svg Nicole Grether
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Charmaine Reid
21–12, 19–21, 21–12Gold medal icon.svgWinner

Mixed doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
2015Sydney International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Robin Middleton Flag of the United States.svg Phillip Chew
Flag of the United States.svg Jamie Subandhi
21–8, 21–17Gold medal icon.svgWinner
2015Maribyrnong International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Robin Middleton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sawan Serasinghe
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Setyana Mapasa
17–21, 21–19, 21–19Gold medal icon.svgWinner
2015Sri Lanka International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Robin Middleton Flag of India.svg Arun Vishnu
Flag of India.svg Aparna Balan
21–15, 17–21, 13–21Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
2011 Brazil International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Glenn Warfe Flag of the United States.svg Halim Ho
Flag of the United States.svg Eva Lee
11–21, 15–21Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
2011Altona International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Glenn Warfe Flag of New Zealand.svg Kevin Dennerly-Minturn
Flag of New Zealand.svg Stephanie Cheng
22–20, 21–11Gold medal icon.svgWinner
2010 Tahiti International Flag of Australia (converted).svg Glenn Warfe Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ross Smith
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kate Wilson-Smith
14–21, 21–13, 18–21Silver medal icon.svgRunner-up
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

References

  1. "Leanne Choo". Olympedia. Retrieved 11 August 2022. Full name: Nyuk Lian "Leanne" Choo
  2. 1 2 3 "Badminton Australia: Leanne Choo". Badminton Australia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "London 2012 – Leanne Choo". London2012.olympics.com.au. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  4. "Elite members". Sturt Badminton Club Inc. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  5. "Badminton Australia: Athlete Profiles". Badminton.org.au. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  6. "tournamentsoftware.com – Commonwealth Games 2010 – General". www.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  7. "tournamentsoftware.com – Yonex BWF World Championships 2011 – General". www.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  8. "Australian Olympic badminton team named". Nine MSN. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  9. "Aussies name badminton line-up – ABC Grandstand Sport (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  10. "Bendigo's Warfe named in Olympic squad – Local News – Sport – Badminton". Bendigo Advertiser. Australian Associated Press. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  11. "London 2012 – Renuga Veeran". London2012.olympics.com.au. 20 June 1986. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  12. "2012 London Olympics – Eight badminton players disqualified for trying to lose matches". August 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  13. "Aussies benefit from badminton tanking scandal". ABC News. August 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  14. "Badminton | Athlete Profile: Leanne CHOO - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com. Retrieved 20 February 2021.[ dead link ]