I agree with Kelvin on this one. It could be anybody's game. But like i said before i think it also depends if ur on form or if peak during that moment in time. I'm going for the underdog Wong Choong Hann this time round though. But i wont be disappointed if he doesnt win it. Frankly, I hope the winner is an unexpected player who will surprise us with an upset in the finals of the olympics.
Kelvin, here is the results of the last Olympics : MS Semi : Ji Xinpeng (CHN) beat Peter Gade (DEN) 15/9, 1/15, 15/9 Hendrawan (INA) beat Xia Xuanze (CHN) 15/12, 15/4 Final : Ji Xinpeng (CHN) beat Hendrawan (INA) 15/4, 15/13 Gold : Ji Xinpeng (CHN) Silver : Hendrawan (INA) Bronze : Xia Xuanze (CHN) LS Semi : Gong Zhichao (CHN) beat Ye Zhaoying (CHN) 11/8, 11/8 Camilla Martin (DEN) beat Dai Yun (CHN) 11/5, 11/0 Final : Gong Zhichao (CHN) beat Camilla Martin (DEN) Gold : Gong Zhichao (CHN) Silver : Camilla Martin (DEN) Bronze : Ye Zhaoying (CHN) MD Semi : Candra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan (INA) beat Ha Tae Kwon/Kim Dong Moon (KOR) 15/13, 15/10 Lee Dong Soo/Yoo Yong Sung (KOR) beat Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah (MAS) 15/12, 7/15, 15/4 Final : Candra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan (INA) beat Lee Dong Soo/Yoo Yong Sung (KOR) 15/10, 9/15, 15/7 Gold : Candra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan (INA Silver : Lee Dong Soo/Yoo Yong Sung (KOR) Bronze : Ha Tae Kwon/Kim Dong Moon (KOR) WD Semi : Ge Fei/Gu Jun (CHN) beat Qin Yiyuan/Gao Ling (CHN) 15/7, 15/12 Huang Nanyan/Yang Wei (CHN) beat Ra Kyung Min/Chung Jae Hee (KOR) 15/6, 15/11 Final : Ge Fei/Gu Jun (CHN) beat Huang Nanyan/Yang Wei (CHN) 15/5, 15/5 Gold : Ge Fei/Gu Jun (CHN) Silver : Huang Nanyan/Yang Wei (CHN) Bronze : Qin Yiyuan/Gao Ling (CHN) XD Semi : Tri Kusharyanto/Minarti Timur (INA) beat Simon Archer/Joanne Goode (GBR) 2/15, 17/15, 15/11 Zhang Jun/Gao Ling (CHN) beat Michael Sogaard/Rikke Olsen (DEN) 10/15, 15/6, 17/16 Final : Zhang Jun/Gao Ling (CHN) beat Tri Kusharyanto/Minarti Timur (INA) 1/15, 15/13, 15/11 Gold : Zhang Jun/Gao Ling (CHN) Silver : Tri Kusharyanto/Minarti Timur (INA) Bronze : Simon Archer/Joanne Goode (GBR)
I'm more inclined to agree with jusmanto's prediction, but I would exchange Peter's place with Sony's and replace Wong's with Chen Hong for the MS. For LS, Zhang Ning should be elevated to top favourites and Korea's recent ABC champ, Jun Jae Youn should replace Camilla as a dark horse. Yang/Zhang should share the top favourite LD position. I'm glad the top Indonesian XD pair, Widianto and Marissa had been included. They will be a force to reckon with when Kim and Ra retire. Europeans versus Asians on Injuries Have you noticed that the European players' retirement age is relatively older than the Asians'? What could be the reason for this, if Asia's training is purportedly of a higher quality? Then Asian players should last longer and have less injuries! Or is it that fierce competition in the more populous Asian countries like China and Indonesia forces the national players to retire earlier? Or is it that the European players generally start turning professional much later?
I once read in the papers that Taufik have BAD tournament records outside of Asia where he had won nothing, is it? So I guess he could be counted out.
I agree to put Jun Jae Youn to top favotite, but I will not put Camilla a way from the dark horse. She always plays consistently in a big tournament. And she is very motivated, because maybe this is her last chance to win OL. Sorry Loh.... I choose Ra/Lee rather than Yang Zhang. I will very happy if Noca/Vita can get through to Final. Get through to semi is already greate for them. They are the future of Kim/Ra. The European players' retirement age is relatively older than the China, but not Asians'. Some of Asian player can play as long as european player. i.e : Lee WW/Choong TH, Hendrawan, Marleve, Yong/Lee, etc.. European turn to pros in the same age as their compatriots from Asia. But they are slow to the top. Asia players are quicker to the top. i.e. : Rudy H, Yang Yang, Zhao Jian Hua, Lin Dan, Taufik, etc. But there are also late starter : Han Jian, Joko, Wong CH, Hendrawan, etc. "Fierce competition in the more populous Asian countries" is one of the reasons. But you must think also about the medical treatment in Europe and Asia countries as Indo and China. To be the top badminton player, the competition between the young players are very tie. Especially in China and Indo. Because they have so many young players. In europe, there are not many badminton players as China and Indo. So, the competition is not as tie as China and Indo. If there come no young stars, the seniors play longer. It is logic, isn't it ?
Ofcouse it makes better. When you can run with the speed of 60 km/hour with sandpacks round your ankles. Theorytically, you can run 70-80 km/hour without sandpack, right ? But in the real world, it is not always happen. I used this sandpack for foot-work training. When we train with the sandpacks round my ankles, It feel very hard to step/run, because our feet are very heavy. If you train with this sandpack for months or years, you become usual with this "heavy step". When you put off the sandpacks, your steps are lighter than usual. It means that you can step, run and move faster on court. Personally, I feel lighter after the training. But now I am too old to train with this sandpack.
I assumed you meant quicker=better (I agree), I was just asking in case it made the technique better in any way.
Europeans usually turn pro a lot later than most Asians, so I think globally their career is as long or maybe shorter... except for China, where competition is so high that there are always young players replacing the older ones, so their careers are shorter. Many Asians have also retired for other reasons than injuries (often for studies, and also because they have already acheived what they could dream of) : Bang Soo Hyun or Tony Gunawan are amongst the most famous ones...
I have a different opinion with you Seven. Not all the europeans turn to pro "a lot" later. But if you compare to Chinese players. Yes. Chineses turn to pro "a lot" earlier. But there are so many european players turn to pro as early as Asian players, but their performance run very slow, so they take more times to get to the top. If I am not mistake, players like : Flamming Delft, Morten, Poul-Erik, Camilla, .... They turn to pro in the young age +/- 18-20 years. But they need 5-6 years to get to the top. And they can play until their 30. Meanwhile the young palyers behind them not yet ripe or can't get to the top to replace them.
well, by turning pro I meant mainly turning to full time training. I think 18-20 is relatively late to turn to full time training, but in Europe I don't think any player will turn to full time training earlier than that (and often quite a bit later), because of the pressure of studies... I agree with you they also take much longer to reach the top (and don't reach it often! )
i think not that bad he has good record in All England beside that tournament that being held outside Asia above 3 star maybe only in england, denmark, and swiss so i think taufik still in the list
Seven, I think actually we have a same opinion. The different is only the matter of "Later and Earlier". According to you, 18-20 is "Late", but to me is "Early". Agree with you. European players have to study and few of them full time in Badminton. Almost all the Asian players give their time fully in Badminton. It means no study any more after finished high school. Later after their carrier, they will continue thier study. Look what happen to Ardy BW, Tony G, Wong CH.
Somebody told me that Ardy Wiranata still start his day training with a weighted vest while doing footwork exercise. He's over 30. Now that's dedication!
CMIIW, i think it because if you train to move fast using weight, when the weight comes off (i.e in a game), you'll automatically move faster than when you train. it will give you the advantage of speed. which mean you'll be playing a better game.
i'd add bao chunlai in the list.... he's proven himself recently during the TC finals....and he is the only person to have beaten Lin dan in the past few months...
That doesn't count, Chunlai knows all Lin Dan's strength. Even Wong Choon Han loses to Hafiz & ex-Malaysian player Yong Hock Kin.
thats true...but what about the TC finals??? he lost the 1st set...won the second set quite narrowly ... and was trailing like 10-3 in the third set, but still won the game... that just shows how much he has improved....if this was the case a few months ago, bao would've just collapsed and would've probably lost in straight sets..
I do love watching Bao's play, but i think Lin has the biggest chance of winning, but.. we can never know what will happen...
My gues is Lin Dan, (Dan is my nick name lol ), Peter Gade, Chen, or Taufik... In the order Lin Dan has the most chance and Taufik the less.
