it's a pity. Asian games only allows two players from each country which has to be inside a region called asia. For mixed double, you cannot find two time Olympic champion, and double world championship champion Zhang Jun/Gao Ling, you cannot find the current WC champion, and the current world runner up. Anyone can question the AG's champion becuase it is inside a small closed circle. While Denmark open is open to everyone, if you think you're the best, come and grab the title.
I believe almost every Asians (including the Chinese coaches) think that an Asian Games gold medal is more important than a 5-6* title. It's second to the Olympics and carries national prestige!
Sony's name is also not inside the main draw anymore. In the WD, Vita Marrisa is partnering Yunita Tetty for the first time and will challenge Gail Emms/Donna Kellogg.
This might be true for Indo and Malaysia, since a gold at Asian games is so precious to them. But for China, what you said is NOT true at all. China usually grabs half of the total gold in the Asian games, then Korea and Japan takes the rest. Other countries need miracle to steal the gold. Li YongBo also told media that his boss (actually the minister for sports) never give him any task in Asian games, because it is not that important. In some other events, China even sent their second team to AG. While for World Championship and Olympic Games, LYB has to get at least 2 golds for tolerable, 3 golds for okay, 4-5 golds for good and excellent as evaluating his job. For AG, it is just an exercise. Another example, Zhou Mi has won the AG, but nobody mentions it. People always say sorry for her because people always saying Zhou mi has never won anything big, unlike Gong RN, got a Worldchampionship. So Gong now can work as a bureaucratic officer because she's got WC, while Zhou Mi cannot find a good job because she has nothing in hand. That's the reason she has to go to Malaysia to look for new opportunities. In a word, Asian champion is valueless in China, but is invaluable in Indo, Malaysia, and other Asian countries
I remembered that once, China got 183 golds in AG, while Indonesia got only 3 golds. So whether China badminton team won 0, 1, 2, ... or 5, doesn't make any difference change the order where number 2 Korea got only 75 golds. But for indo, every gold from badminton team makes a big difference to compete other countries, almost all other asian countries, from India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Iran, Iraq, Saudi, Qatar, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia,..., except China, Japan or Korea, N.Korea, Chinese Taipei. Those are unchangeable top 5.
While China is undoubtedly the king in Asia, gold medals in badminton are still important to them. Since when did u see a second team competing in the Asian Games? This is esp when they were humiliated in Pusan 4 years ago!
If AG were valueless to CHN, then why are they sending LD? You know why? Cos LYB now has the confidence that LD can win with just one prop in the individual event.
I can't speak for China, except to say that they sent their best to Busan in 2002 and it appears they plan to again this year. As for Korea, regardless of whether beating China is possible, every medal they get puts them closer to bragging rights vis-a-vis Japan and that is far more important. Being #2 with a population of 45 million runner-up to a nation of well over a billion is nothing to sneeze at. Look no further for a reason why you haven't seen any Korean competitors at tournaments recently.
Exactly, Korea is a very strong powerhouse in sports. Sometimes, I feel that Korea uses sports to bring glory back as their exclusive purpose. Badminton is also an example. Badminton is not popular in Korea, but Korea has a good system to train very young players. I feel that Koreans not that interested in open tournaments, even world championship. What they want is to win at OG and AG only. Badminton is just a small part of their well planned strategy for the AG and OG.
Does anyone here think Ronald Susilo have a chance of going far in this tourney ? Correct me if I'm wrong but he is meeting Taufik Hidiyat in the third Round right? I hope he can raise up his rankings back to the top 10.
obviously the chinese are gonna dominate the AG, since they're already no.2 in the world in the OG just behind america. in fact, it's quite possible that they might overtake america in the next OG in beijing. but what are the standings of the other nations in the AG? was it korea and japan battling for the second spot last time around? anyone have a summary of the medal tallies from the last AG? too lazy to look it up!
oh, the other TH! I think he can beat the young TH... go Ronald Susilo Play like when you played LD in the Olympics 04 :crying:
It will be happy if Susilo can just pass the 1st round. Ismail is pretty compatible with Susilo anyway. Beating Lin Dan is just an accident. I think Susilo not that good to do it again
no major upset so far. Chen Hong is struggling in the 3rd game, still 1 point behind, he seems really playing for fun. PG, CY, and KJ, the other 3 top 4 seeds advanced without any problems.
This is partly correct. Badminton is not a popular spectator sport and, as such, it is akin to a host of other sports at which Korean athletes excel. It is a little different from sports like team handball or field hockey or volleyball, though, in that there is a substantial recreational badminton culture. This may be viewed as a coincidence, however. The elite system and the club system are absolutely separate.
