Reigning China Open badminton champion Chen Hong has been dropped from national Asian Games squad to make way for a younger player.

The 27-year-old world No 7 has been in sizzling form this season. Before clinching the title at the six-star China Open in Guangzhou on Sunday by beating compatriot Bao Chunlai in straight sets, he entered the semi-finals of the Madrid World Championships last month where he bowed to his team-mate and world No 1 Lin Dan. However, he was replaced by Chen Jin, eight years his junior.

Head coach Li Yongbo said he wanted to give younger players a chance to play at the top level of international competition as part of preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Asian Games is a test for the team as we are aiming at the Beijing Games in no more than two years away," said Li. "I want to give more chances to young players and I hope they could draw as much as experience for the Olympics this time in Doha."

World champion Lin as well as Chen Jin and Bao - ranked fourth and fifth in the world - will play in the men's singles at the 15th Asian Games, which open in Doha, Qatar on December 1.

Olympic women's doubles champions Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen will also be rested for the Games but Li is still targeting a better haul for his squad than the women's team and women's singles titles they picked up in Busan in 2002.

"We can only send eight men and eight women and the players must play both team and individual competitions," Li said. "It was a big headache for us when we were choosing the squad."

Chen Hong, however, said the drop would not put his career to an end. "As a veteran I can now relax to play and enjoy the game," he said. "My passion for badminton hasn't weakened. I'm confident I can continue my career. I won't give up easily."

Though known as a powerhouse in the world of badminton, China had to face a sad memory in Asian Games history.

The 2002 Busan Games saw the team won only two gold medals - women's team and women's singles, and its men's players all got ousted before the semi-finals in both singles and doubles events.

But team started to bounce from the bottom soon and reclaimed its supremacy in the world since 2005.

The national team won the Sudirman Cup last year in Beijing followed by a clear sweep at the Thomas and Uber Cup in Japan in May. Adding to the glory, the Chinese shuttlers won four out of five titles at the World Championships in Madrid of Spain last month.

"We are in a great winning flow now," said Li. "I want the team play great badminton at the Asian Games, at least, to win more gold medals than at the last Asian Games."

(China Daily October 25, 2006)