Sudirman Cup Media Opportunity

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - MAY 22: Badminton player Shi Yuqi of China poses on the Skydeck walk at the Skypoint Observation Deck on May 22, 2017 in Gold Coast, Australia. Today, Badminton champion SHI Yuqi (China), who is on the Gold Coast to compete in the 2017 Total BWF Sudirman Cup World Mixed Team Championships, took in the 360 degree views of Surfers Paradise beaches and the surrounding this morning, enjoying a SkyPoint Climb off the side of the Q1 building. SHI Yuqi said “The view is very beautiful and very natural and the air was so clean.  I am enjoying the Gold Coast very much.  I have never done anything like that climb before, it was really thrilling.” Ranked #5 in the world, SHI Yuqi is China’s top ranked player and part of the national team defending their world title at the Total BWF Sudirman Cup this week.  The tournament runs until May 28 at the new Commonwealth Games venue the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre. In March this year 21 year-old SHI Yuqi rose up through the world rankings when he dethroned three-time Olympic gold medallist ‘Super Dan’ Lin Dan as All England Open Champion. Joining Yuqi at Skypoint were Gold Coast local couple Ricky Yu and He Tian (Rosy) Tang, who also played for the Chinese national team in the 1990’s. Rosy was a Chinese Olympic medallist and has since represented Australia at two Commonwealth Games, while Ricky coached both the Malaysian and Australian teams after his retirement from competitive badminton. The SkyPoint Observation deck is always top of their list to take visitors to the Gold Coast but this morning’s SkyPoint Climb was also a first for Ricky and Rosy.  They said, “It was so beautiful, we love the beach views.  And anything from SkyPoint is such a different perspective from each side.  It was fascinating to see, and definitely something we would like to do again.” (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Sudirman Cup)