I bet it'll be neither RI nor CM infact one of them may not be even on the podium. As far as I am concerned I rank WSX's chances higher than that of CM and LXR's higher than that of RI that makes the pic a lot clear (mind it if its WYH, ummm I don't wanna sound rude )
Don't tell me you really think INA (TA/LN) still has a chance for gold . KHN/KSH hmm much more promising but it's the big one hence I'll still go the ZZ way
it will be glad if MAS get the one gold medal for the very first time since 1992 Olympic when badminton event introduced...
Only three names for MS category who have biggest chance to snatch Rio gold, Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan and Chen Long while it's tough to predict MD discipline since the gap between the top 10 pairs are really close.
since momota had penalty from his association, its clear the top three have biggest change for gold in Rio
I fear for anybody facing the danes. They haven't shown great back-to-back performances, but if you meet them first, you know it's going to be tough.
^ I agree one hundred percent Esp VA! He is undoubtedly super fit (now) and his performance in the TC is the testimony of how well is he playing lately! Not only his skills but the way he handled the immense pressure of such a prestigious tourney as the tie opener on his tender shoulder is unarguably fantastic. JOJ OTOH will bank on his spirits physical he isn't at peak (injured?)
Now if China has 8 representatives (events) in the SF. Then 5 representatives in the F ......... Alan can do the maths to come out with the answer...
I am thinking the same of VA too...Much has been said of CL and and LD playing poorly lately, but the proof in the pudding is how this duo will actually play in RIO. It only takes to win 5 matches to get the gold, and I say both will be at their best condition and prepared, one match at a time, when RIO comes. LCW has a great chance to get MAS 1st OLY gold, not to jinx him but I rate him as the favorite to win especially if the draw pits LD/CL together. If VA peaks at the right time, he has all the tools to win it all. A point here and there and VA could have beaten LCW at TC SF. Anybody starts a thread to pick their favorite MS to win RIO? I pick LD, there is something about this fellow that when RIO baddy starts, I say we will see a different LD who will be a better player than he was even at CO and AE this year (IMO, LD in these 2 SS events was LD at his best condition). The challenge is should LD proceed to RIO SF, and if CL and LCW make it to SF as well, how is LD going to consecutively beat both CL and LD mentally and physically to win. I don't think LD has been put into such a test before in a major tournament playing 2 formidable opponents compared to those days past when he was aided by 'bodyguards' assisting him.
Just checked the latest poll. There are changes and the results above have not been updated. For example 7 votes for '5 Gold medals' instead of 2, almost a 100% increase over the last poll of 4.2% overall. 6 votes for '0 Gold medal' instead of 4. And the highest number of votes of 34 going to '3 Gold medals' instead of 20 votes but still slightly lower than previously, percentage wise. Second highest for '2 Gold medals' is 24 votes instead of 13, a slight increase of 1%). How many gold medals will China win in Rio (Updated today) 5 Gold Medals 2 vote(s) (7) 4.2% (8) 4 Gold Medals 5 vote(s) (10) 10.4% (11) 3 Gold Medals 20 vote(s) (34) 41.7% (40) * 2 Gold Medals 13 vote(s) (24) 27.1% (28) 1 Gold Medals 4 vote(s) (5) 8.3% (6) 0 Gold Medals 4 vote(s) (6) 8.3% (7) TOTAL VOTES 86 Looks like more votes going for '3 Gold medals' (40% but still below half the total number of 86 votes .) But nearer to the Rio deadline, I wonder what will the poll be like? So guys, make your pick NOW!
You are correct...but beside AG14, LD hardly have to play both to win a major event. Actually, if you look back to the days when LD was backed up by BCL, Chen Jin, Chen Yu and even Du Peng Yu, these players acted as 'bodyguards' to LD and this topic was ferociously (you can call it passionately too) argued and debated in this forum to a point where Kwun would lock the thread. These bodyguards under team order would 'threw' the match to LD in SF, and if these bodyguards met LCW in the other SF would fought fiercely wearing down LCW, that even if LCW got past them into the final, he was tired out. Maybe that led to the current max 2-person representation in OLY to control this match fixing.But there is no BWF rules against this and impossible to prove. LYB has the key players to play this strategy and honestly, if it is you or me, we might do the same thing as LYB job is to win, and his job is on the line. This time in RIO, if LD meet CL in SF, I doubt either will (or obey team order) throw the match, both want to win and both deserve to play all out to win. So, if LD meets CL in SF, the pendulum swings the other way and LD gets to experience what LCW experienced previously. RIO is actually an even playing field, almost any of the top 4-6 players can win, it is who peaks at the right time and of course, the DRAW.Just my thought.
Xi Jinping came to power at the end of 2012, and he started a massive anti graft campaign which is on going still as of now. Sports are not immune. He instructed officials to stop their obsession with winning gold medals at any costs. Match fixing is heavily punished now. http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0L007420150127
Then each player, men and women, are on their own, good for baddy and sports. Maybe that is what we seen lately there is no love lost among the players like the CHN WS playing in IO and AO. Maybe if Xi has been in power earlier, who knows if LCW could have won 1 or more majors...just a thought.
Well, there are now signs that Li Keqiang the premier is openly defiant of Xi Jinping. Maybe after Rio Olympics, they will think winning gold medals is important again. Who knows..
Frankly, I have my doubts. If I were Bao CL, Chen Jin, Chen Yu or Du PY, why would I go all out when I know I couldn't beat Lin Dan unless he was off form or injured or something, as I still have to play for bronze the next day and there's no knowing in advance who might the opponent be,what if it's LCW and not someone else. No matter what, I'd test Lin Dan out in G1, if the going is too tough or hopeless,I'd conserve my energy for the bronze playoff. Furthermore, Lin Dan during those time is so powerful, almost invincible,that he never needed anybody's 'help'. In fact, there were several cases where Lin Dan's semifinal opponents weren't necessarily fellow CHN players - the AG'14 being the most recent examples where Lin Dan first disposed of LCW in the semis before taking cared of Chen Long. You can imagine Lin Dan in his younger years how formidable he was that nobody would entertain any doubts about his ability to beat anybody anytime by himself. Also, don't forget, LCW in some cases had easy or relatively easier non-CHN opponents before meeting Lin Dan in the final. Besides, it's not always the case that LCW's semifinal opponent could stretch him that much. I mean, who wouldn't want to beat Lin Dan or LCW if they have or had a realistic chance to do so. Even Xue Song and Tian Houwei at the AE this year played hard against him, and I remember Qiao Bin as well in one of the tournaments earlier on. Of course, Lin Dan's detractors (sour grapes and sore losers) would want to give credibility to such a concocted theory based on a few coincidental examples while ignoring other cases which don't fit their conspiracy theory. I recalled the WC'13 where Du Pengyu despite having played four consecutive grueling three-setters from R1 before his semifinal clash, the 5th match, with LCW, yet he fought like a lion pushing his great opponent hard in a well-fought match. I put it down to Du Pengyu's indomitable spirit and tenacity rather his desire to 'help' Lin Dan as if he himself wasn't drained enough or had no desire to beat LCW , let alone Lin Dan 'needing' him to soften LCW for the final match. Needless to say, all the non-CHN players who happened to meet Lin Dan in the semifinals would give no quarter and go all out against him, can we then say they are 'helping' LCW by stretching Lin Dan to the limit, provided they have the ability to do so? I believe at the major championships, it's more like each player for him or herself and realistically taking their chances and adopting the best strategy according to their needs. At most, I'd say reluctantly there may be some truth in what you say but not to the extent that some people would like to believe in a self-deluding way. The most compelling argument casting doubts on the cooked up theory that should render most people skeptical is that Lin Dan didn't just succeed in overcoming LCW a few times in the majors but he did it time and time again without fail, not only that, also many times in the less prestigious tournaments as well. Lin Dan's overwhelming H2H against LCW is the most convincing proof, undeniable and incontrovertible.
The argument at that time was the manner in which LD easily won over his teammates, the WOs in both WS/MS, LD losing to CJ so CJ can make it to WC, etc. The Danes complained of match fixing at that time. As I said, this conspiracy theory has been passionately debated and ferociously argued in this forum many years ago (back to 2006s), many of the forumers e.g. cooler, pemuda, etc no longer post in this forum....and threads were locked by Kwun and Cheung. I have said, if I am LYB that I would do exactly the same thing (can call me unscrupulous, win at all cost) so if this theory is true, I bet many team managers will play this card given the opportunity, except the Danes and Japs I think would not play-play. There is no way to prove this, only possible way is to limit to 2-player participation, that hurts CHN but it also fly back into the face of the KOR MD, JAPs WS now.
China will win for MS : if only if CL or LD give the best performance WD = tian qing zhao Yunlei XD = Zhang nan zhao Yunlei WS goes to Caroline marin or others (everyone has the same opportunity) MD goes to korea or Indonesia Sent from my SM-N900 using Tapatalk
It is not theory, LYB did talk openly about it. It was the official position of the team. It was no secret because working for the team is not something wrong, and this implies letting your teammate win in some occasions. But the recent path-to-the finals of LCW is something else. At AG, WC and London Oly, LCW had to face CJ or CL in the semis. It was unlucky for him, but nothing wrong there. At Oly his semis against CL was not difficult. But LD had quite a tough one against PG, if I remember. What was difficult is that those players (CJ, CL, DPY) at the time received the instruction to make LCW run. Winning was a goal, but first of all make him run.
