[size=-1]The Star Online > Sports[/size] Tuesday July 27, 2004 [size=+2]The heat may be a problem, says Choong Hann[/size] KUALA LUMPUR: The heat could be a bother for the badminton players in the Athens Olympics. When Malaysian number one Wong Choong Hann was in Athens for the Olympic torch run a week ago, the temperatue soared to about 40°C. “It was so hot outside that we just wanted to stay in. Hopefully, the temperature will be more tolerable during the Games,†he said yesterday. “There is air-conditioning in the badminton hall. We have five days to get adjusted to the conditions and I think it is sufficient.†Besides Choong Hann, Malaysia will be represented in the men’s singles by Lee Chong Wei and Mohd Roslin Hashim. The men’s doubles pairs are Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng. The women’s doubles pair are Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty. Choong Hann picked China’s world number one Lin Dan as the hot favourite to win the gold medal. “He is one class above the rest and he has been in excellent form in the first half of the year,†said the 27-year-old Choong Hann, who has been seeded third behind Lin Dan and another Chinese player, Chen Hong. It will be the second outing for Choong Hann in the Olympics. At the Sydney Games, he was beaten by China’s Xia Xuanze in the quarter-finals.
Normally, in August in Athens, temperature lies at a fairly steady 30 C, as it indeed has now for the last weeks. But Athens is also known for unpredictable heat waves where temperatures rise to over 40 C... Let's hope that doesn't happen as it will affect everybody's performance, from competitors to journalists to audience... In any case, if it becomes really hot that does not necessarily give an advantage to the Asian players, used to playing in hot conditions. The heat in Athens is dry, not at all like the damp heat in most of Asia.
I've never been to Europe. But I've been to Malaysia once, and I thought it's hottest place I have ever been. And even Wong couldn't stand the heat in Athen?
I just visited Malaysia few months ago and the temperature is actually not that high, I mean in the low 90s or upper 80s degree Fehrenheit, but the humidity effect feels like over 100 degree Fehrenheit. Wong Choong Han is from Malaysia, so there should be no complain to the temperature in Athens during summer.
however, there could be brownouts or blackouts which could shut down AC http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde...2004/07/12/build/world/63-blackout-greece.inc
