Lin Dan plays down chances of winning Olympic gold medal in Beijing DESPITE being touted as the player to beat in Beijing, China's world number one Lin Dan does not rate himself as a definite gold medal winner at the Olympics in August. The player recovered from a straight-game defeat by Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei in the Thomas Cup semi-finals on Friday by delivering China's opening point in the final against South Korea last night. Lin Dan recovered from a lethargic start to defeat Korean first singles player Park Sung-hwan 10-21, 21-18, 21-8. Flying start: Lin Dan celebrating after beating South Korea's Park Sung-hwan in the first single of the Thomas Cup final at the Istora Senayan Sunday. “I had a bad start because the pressure was on me to deliver the first point and it made me nervous. Park also made a wonderful start in the first game and had me stretching to all four corners of the court to retrieve the shuttle,” said Lin Dan. “I was able to maintain my composure in the second game, and was able to play my usual game. I am happy and proud to deliver China's first point in the final.” The player blamed the media for painting him in a wrong picture ahead of the Olympics. Lin Dan claimed that he never felt that the gold medal in Beijing is his for the taking. “From the Thomas Cup, everyone can see that besides me, there are several players who are capable of winning in Beijing. I would rate Chong Wei (Malaysia), Peter Gade (Denmark), Taufik Hidayat, Sony Dwi Kuncoro (both Indonesia) and the Koreans, Park and Lee (Hyun-il), as strong contenders,” he said. “But after competing in Jakarta, I would say that the player I should be most wary of in August is Chong Wei.” Lin Dan added that he always needed to stay one step ahead of his opponents as they always lift their game when playing against him. “I have been the world number one for a long period of time and this makes me a target for every player wanting to prove himself,” he said. “Their mentality is always to give the extra when they are up against the world number one and I am always needed to be at my best.” The two-time world champion admitted that doing well at their home Olympics is the number one priority for the Chinese players this year. Besides the world number one, the other two Chinese players who have qualified for Beijing are the world number three Bao Chunlai and number four Chen Jin. “The Thomas Cup campaign is a platform to prepare for the Olympics challenge. If we win here, it shows that our preparations are on the right track. We were also able to check on the progress made by our top challengers in Jakarta,” said Lin Dan. Lin Dan, who has won practically every major badminton title in the world, is still chasing an Olympic medal after being bundled out of the 2004 Athens Games in the first round by Singapore's Ronald Susilo.
Just hope LCW won't be too confident after hearing that....remain humble...then surely LCW can win the gold medal in the Olympics!
I would have to say.. ...at the present moment, LCW is definitely the top contender/challenger to LinDan for the Olympic Games' MS Gold. And if LCW can avoid meeting LD until the Final, and if history speaks for itself, the trend of the OG's MS Gold title coming from a non-winning Thomas Cup team may very well continue.
Looking at the match between LCW and LD, indeed LD should be most wary of LCW . At that match LCW is fast, fit and so good in tactics. Simply put LCW knows how to defeat LD. And he defeated LD very badly in TC. LD is still good and fast but LCW's tactical play has neutraliszed LD's strenghts. It's just so amazing and entertaining watching these 2 men played to their best.
LCW has grown smarter. He has always got the skillset, speed and stamina. But applying them during the tournaments sometimes come unstuck -- even coach Misbun said this many times. I always said in the past he needs to look at the videos many times over and learn from them his mistakes against LD. LCW finally did that, he spent hours going over the videos before the TC. And look how it turned out. I am absolutely sure the successful technigues he applied against LD this time round will win him the the gold medal in th Olympics coz he now has it all - speed, stamina, skills and technigues. What a good time to beat LD as the TC spurs everyone to do their best. In beating LD here means it was not a fluke. LD knows it and it is good for him to acknowledge LCW as his biggest challenger in the Olympics. Even LiYongBo gave LCW the 'thumbs up' sign after game. Conclusion : RM 1M is not that far away, if LCW works hard.
Sometimes it is hard to accept the truth when the truth is exposed. It is especially hard to accept when the truth is so sudden.
Strangely LD doesn't mention Bao as a contender altough based on results he should be a bigger threat than PSH or Sony for example
that probably has something to do with the inner workings of the CHN team. LYB will probably have a say as to who wins the encounter should LD meet either BCL or CJ.
I tell you what's impossible, the 5 Olympics Champions as MS LASMARI Nabil ALG (WR 86) MD DEDNAM Roelof Jakobus/DEDNAM Christoffel Cornelius RSA (WR 55) WS DANIEL Grace NGR (WR 92) WD EDWARDS Michelle Claire /BOTTS Chantal RSA (WR 79) XD CUPIDON Georgie/AH-WAN Juliette SEY (WR 75)
Reading too much? I think most of us are reading too much into this interview. He's only stating the obvious while being modest about it. It's what he's hiding behind the words is more important. I feel that he's trying to tell his home media not too picture his as a sure win, thus putting too much pressure on him, which we have seen so many times already, is his greatest Achilles heel by far. And being humble and polite is always a good PR move, and we all knows he needs some of that after the "punching coach" incident.
need not further explaination.......LYB will decides who to wins.....LD will always be LYB choice...to win...........so BCL and CJ will be just another player there to ensure.......(LD)CHN wins the gold.......just like the way LD and BCL help CJ to book his Olympic Ticket....
During their encounter recently, one of sure will perform under par. Like in Swiss Open, LCW keep doing mistake after mistake.. In this Thomas cup, is LD who did all the mistake.LYB also claim that it is not the day for LD.. But beside mistake, LD shows that he is slower..Good tactic play by LCW.. I am happy that LD make the statement.At least,he affirm LCW status very directly now..
Well, I think MAS fans should not be overconfident at this moment. LCW is obviously the no.2 contender for OG08 Gold. That is it.
