World Junior Champion Lin Gui Pu can aim for a Youth Olympic medal on home soil, as he is among the eligible players for the Games in Nanjing, China.

Lin (featured image) and compatriot Shi Yuqi, whom he beat in the final of the BWF World Junior Championships, head the list of those who are likely to make it to Nanjing. The Youth Olympics will be held from 17 to 22 August 2014.

All singles quarter-finalists at the BWF World Junior Championships automatically qualified for the Youth Olympics, but each country is allowed only two competitors in an event. A country is allowed two players if both are in the top-four of the rankings of 2 May 2014.

Among other eligible players are: Anthony Ginting of Indonesia, Cheam June Wei of Malaysia, Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan, Pham Cao Cuong of Vietnam, Max Weisskirchen of Germany and Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong. Alex Vlaar (Netherlands), Enrique Penalver (Spain; right), Rodion Alimov (Russia), Aditya Joshi (India) and Soon Yang Bernard Ong (Singapore) are also on the list.

Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, who defended her title at the BWF World Junior Championships in April, is topmost on the list of Women’s Singles players. Yamaguchi and runner-up He Bing Jiao of China, Busanan Ongbumrungpan of Thailand, Qin Jingjing of China, Liang Xiaoyu of Singapore and Luise Heim of Germany are also eligible. Also in the list are: Ruthvika Shivani (India), Clara Azurmendi (Spain), Mia Blichfeldt (Denmark; left), Maja Pavlinic (Croatia), Lee Ying Ying (Malaysia), Ruselli Hartawan (Indonesia) and Alida Chen (Netherlands).

There are three events at the Youth Olympic Games: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles. A total of 32 players in each singles event will be accommodated, of which four slots are reserved for Universality places. IOC will confirm the four Universality places by 22 June 2014. Member Associations will have to contact their National Olympic Committee (NOC) to confirm they will select the qualified players, by Friday 16 May. If the NOC does not select a player, or if the player is unable to attend, BWF will invite the player next in turn from the World Junior ranking list of 2 May 2014.

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