In the latter case, it sheds no light, I'm afraid. When Li Mao was re-hired in early 2007, Yonhap announced that he was given an 18-month contract. In other words, he was only ever to work in Korea until the end of the Beijing Olympics. His departure had nothing to do with the 2008 Korea Open incident. As for Lee Hyun Il, who knows? He had already quit suddenly in 2007. In 2008, I don't believe it was a sudden decision. My recollection is that everyone knew he would be retiring. I could be wrong. A Korean man retiring from international competition at age 28 is hardly a surprise. Park Joo Bong and Yim Bang Eun were both 27 when they first retired. Kim Yong Hyun was 26. Kim Dong Moon was 28.
I have just noticed that Lee is entering a few majors the next week. This is interesting... First I thought it is bcause of the team event, but this year we have the surdiman cup, so he isn´t needed as second or third ms. Will be interesting whether he upset a few youngsters again
LHI won the NZ Open.. But sadly keep losing at the highest competition level - superseries I can smell that he want to push himself and see if 2015 is a good year, he will set Rio as his last goal and final retirement
Are you sure he is going for Rio? I doubt that. He is an independent player and I am sure BKA won't nominate him even if he is the highest ranking Korean MS.
In the recent interview, right after winning his trophy in NZ, he said that he just wanted to travel around and chose what tournaments he wanted to play. I don't think he set sight on Rio, too.
Lee Hyun Il will be in the top 16 later today. Lee Dong Keun has never been higher than #21. If that is the reality in May 2016, the BKA will have nothing to lose by sending Lee Hyun Il with Son. If Dong Keun can make the top 16, too, then it will be a different story but with just Hyun Il and Son in the top 16, the BKA would be able to choose only from among the choices of Son and Lee, or just Son (or just Lee, which will never happen). In this case, they might let Lee go and be an Olympian father to his child. That said, it doesn't seem like a priority for Lee Hyun Il, who has already competed in three Games. It will also be difficult to stay in the top 16 without playing the Sudirman, the Worlds, and without many Superseries results.
Okay congratulations to Lee Hyun Il for winning today gold medals. Wow imagine at such an old age he is still able to win gold medals in tournaments. Definitely not easy for him. Congratulations once again for winning the gold medal today. Hope you will continue to win more gold medals.
This is the madness and discrimination of the olympic games... I don't know why olympia is always so hyped and every player wants to go. I don't like it.
Frankly speaking , with LD , LCW out of form right now , u never know what might happen in RIOS. Although I do not think LHI is able to beat SWH right now , but if he gets a lucky draw , u never know... So many youngster are still not able to beat him
I like the commentator's comment "Who is 35 yr old and who is 19 yr old?" in the 3rd game, when the young kid was running out of gas and LHI was still moving so smoothly on the court. Must be the power of Korean ginseng.
If LHI is ranked in top 16 when OG qf-period ends BKA can send him together with SWH or send only SWH so why not send LHI?
Probably he will have another chance to get World title after he retires from professional badminton by playing World Senior Championship. He is qualified for 35+ category
That's true. It's a possibility. If he is in the top 16 and neither Lee Dong Keun nor Jeon Hyeok Jin are, then why not? However, keep in mind that Lee Hyun Il has only 4 tournaments' worth of points so far since May. No Sudirman, no WC, no SSF, hardly any SS at all and he is not going to Europe. Still, he will be in the top 16 on Thursday with that kind of set of results so if he can maintain it, the scenario you describe could come to pass.
So you're saying that we should believe that this person is a liar because you happen to believe a stereotype that all 75 million members of one ethnic group share the same lifestyle choice? Brilliant argumentation.
Indeed! An inspiration to all of us who want to play good badminton late into our 30s. I'm still young but I don't plan to stop playing ever.
To anybody who is local and native koreans, would you please kindly share any news about LHI's diet, workout-schedule, etc. It is remarkable that LHI is still playing professionally at the age of 35.
i don't think people should believe just anything anybody says. If LHI does have a steadfast firm diet, good for him.