Seychelles and South Africa ran into a thrilling encounter in the semi-final of the team event. The two teams went right down to the final men's doubles clash, in which Seychellois Georgie Cupidon and Steve Malcouzane lost to South Africans by two sets toone.
The defeat to South Africa resulted in a share of bronze medal by host team Algeria and Seychelles, which had also won the bronze at the eighth All-Africa Games in 2003 in Nigeria.
However, Luo said he was still optimistic over Seychelles' performance in the individual events. "We still have hopes, particularly in the mixed-doubles event," he said.
"If we snatch the mixed-doubles gold, it will be a historic breakthrough for Seychelles at the All-Africa Games," said Luo.
Seychellois mixed doubles, Georgie Cupidon and Juliette Ah-Wan, currently ranked the first in Africa and the 82nd place in the world.
Rising from zero to African champions
Cupidon and Ah-Wan, both born in 1981, were teenagers when Luo arrived in Seychelles in 1995. "Badminton was really unpopular at that time as Seychellois people are fascinated with football," said Luo.
Luo, who was former coach of a Chinese provincial badminton team, had no choice but to start from zero in the country.
"I chose several very young beginners and started teaching them those basic badminton techniques, including how to correctly hold the racket," Luo recalled.
"They are not professionals. In other time, they have own jobs to do. So we could only train about two and a half hours every day and four days per week."
More than that, Luo's team has been constantly plagued by the lack of financial support to train and register for competitions.
Though so, Luo and his team had never given up. Gradually, their unswerving efforts got paid off as team members began to bring home with badminton medals in regional and international games.
In December of 2006, also in Algiers, Seychelles made a real challenge to African badminton powers when Cupidon and Ah-Wan teamed up to win the mixed-doubles gold medal of the African Senior Badminton Championship.
Last month in Mauritius, the Seychellois team further sent a shock wave to the African badminton arena. Cupidon and Ah-Wan not only successfully defended their mixed doubles title, but also played a big role in helping Seychelles put an end to South Africa's seven-year reign as African team champions with a 3-2 final win.
"We have been making progress with big strides. Nowadays, Seychelles has become a competing power in Africa's badminton," said Luo.
Why so successful? "Luo has brought very advanced training fashion to us from China, and his training scheme is absolutely excellent. Of course, we have also been working very hard to improve," Cupidon told Xinhua.
In the last few years, Luo has brought his team to China several times for good training as well as competitions, including China Open badminton championships.
