It is the first time in badminton history that a country could hold three world team titles in hand when China retained the Sudirman Cup on home soil following their victories in the Thomas and Uber Cup.

"The Chinese team had their names written in history,"said Chinese head coach Li Yongbo on Sunday, when hosts lifted the Sudirman Cup for the fifth time.

"I am so proud of my players who tried their best throughout the tournament but we have to start anew for the 2008 Olympic Games, which will be the ultimate goal of our team," he said.

"Before that, I think we will have a quick celebration," he added.

The theme of the ninth edition of the world mixed team championship for hosts China had fixed well before the tournament kicked off Tuesday in the Chinese capital as Chinese fans and media expected a "team grand slam" from their badminton heroes and heroines.

"Our aim is to keep the Sudirman Cup at home. We want to become the first team to have all three team titles in hand," said Li before the tournament.

China pulled off the first Thomas Cup, the men's team championship, in 12 years and defended the Uber Cup in the women's category last year in Malaysia.

The hosts were rated the hottest favorites for the championship in Beijing as they boast of Olympic and world champion Zhang Ning in women's singles, twice Olympic titlists Zhang Jun/Gao Ling in mixed doubles, Athens Olympic winners Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen in women's doubles and All-England champions Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng.

"We were rated as the biggest favorites and we knew we could not be burdened by that and had made thorough preparation for the championship," he said, adding that the whole team started building- up for the event since winter training camp.

Indonesia, winners of the inaugural edition of the Cup, left with a record as the two finalists became the only two sides to be in the Sudirman Cup final six times.

Defending champions South Korea, beaten by China 3-0 in the semifinals, were bothered by the lack of form of their well- accomplished old guns including Ra Kyung Min, Kim Dong Moon and Ha Tae Kwon.

Whereas Denmark had their own problems to deal with before they were sent packing by Indonesia in the other semifinal Saturday.

Mette Schjoldager, world number three in mixed doubles with Jens Eriksen, suffered an ear problem after the first day and disappeared from the competing lineup since then.

To make things worse, Denmark's first-choice women's singles player Tine Rasmussen tore her achilles tendon in the left ankle on Thursday during their last Group 1A match against South Korea.

Denmark won the top position of the group after beating South Korea 3-1 but Rasmussen had to be sent back home to be sidelined for at least six weeks.

It was also a sad ending for Sweden who were relegated from the top flight to the Group 2 while Malaysia will return to the Group 1 competition in next edition in Glasgow, Scotland in 2007.

Hong Kong of China finished sixth in Group 1, which was their best-ever result at the tournament. Hong Kong were pooled in Group 4 when they appeared in the first Sudirman Cup in 1989 before gradually promoted into the top group with a possibility for the title.

Source: Xinhua