[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]“How Did We Lose?†[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SEPTEMBER 08, 2004 21:54[/font] [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] by Sang-Ho Kim (hyangsan@donga.com) [/font] donga.com Some said they were certain to win the gold medal. No one doubted their victory as they won 70 consecutive matches, winning the top place in 14 tournaments, just before the Athens Olympic Games. Ra Kyung-min of Daekyo Noonnoppi and Kim Dong-moon of Samsung Electro-Mechanics, who together was rated as the strongest team ever in mixed doubles since the first shuttlecock flew, seemed flawlessly prepped for the Olympics. Ambushed by Denmark- However, Kim-Ra pair ran into an unexpected obstacle in the quarterfinal. They were defeated by Rasmussen and Olsen of Denmark. “I don’t even know how we lost.†Ra Kyung-min (28) seemed to be still in shock after their defeat in the quarterfinals at the Daekyo Noonnoppi Badminton Team’s dorm in Kwanjang-dong, Seoul. “I would appreciate it if there will be no more questions. I have nothing to comment on and there are no plans at the moment.†Ra Kyung-min meant to take off all of her burdens and get on with a break once the Athens Olympics were over. She planned to sleep in as long as she pleased, eat whatever she wanted, and go wherever she desired. However, after letting the gold that was certain to be worn around their necks slip right through their fingers, Ra could not attempt to do any of these things. It was as if her soul had been sucked into a vacuum. She joined the Noonnoppi team on September 6 to play at the 2004 National Autumn Championship that opens on September 10, conceding to the team’s head coach, Suh Myung-won’s persuasion, but she is still reluctant to get back on the court. “What ever can I do now?†The powerlessness that Ra was feeling was much worse than expected. She surprised everyone when she said she would quit badminton and her work at the graduate school of Korea National Sport University for her doctorate degree when she came back home after the Olympics. Fortunately, Coach Suh talked her into playing for a couple more years, but it seems no less difficult to start off fresh. “The same thing happened when we lost in the quarterfinals at the Sydney Olympic four years ago. We never expected to lose and my mind went blank during and after the game. I think I just didn’t know how to lose. That is probably why I’m still so out of it.†Her future plans will come after finding out the reason for the defeat. After her debut in mixed doubles right before the 1996 Atlanta Olympic, Ra only lost five matches in international settings while teaming up with Park Joo-bong and then Kim Dong-moon. Two of their most shocking defeats came in the quarterfinals of the last two Olympics. As a faithful Buddhist, Ra does not have a special jinx. The only thing close is that she sometimes has dreams the night before a big match. She dreamt again on the night before the quarterfinals, but there was nothing really different about that night compared to any other night. For that, Ra is even more confused. There was no reason to lose. Ra now has to decide whether to quit the national team or to take one more shots at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She says, “I will find strength to grip the racquet only after I find answers as to why I lost.†“Aren’t you tempted to just break the racquet in half on the spot after such an absurd defeat?†she was asked. “Why would I want to break my precious racquet? I never had such a thought, and I never will,†she replied. Her racquet that has been with her ever since fourth grade is still her companion and hope. In another four years, it is our hope to witness her gathering back up her strength to go for the gold in Beijing. [/font]
LOL, shame on you two JR and RO, you giant killer. Although they didnt win a medal, JR & RO win over the giant KOR XD pair will be talk about for much longer than the gold medal. She says, “I will find strength to grip the racquet only after I find answers as to why I lost.†I might have one of her answer . Ra Kyung-min had been winning with her mp99 for the past 2 years and i saw her using AT800DE in athen2004. Could that be the holy grail??
GOSH!!! losing a match after 70 consecutive ones and that too in an olympics... this situation of hers seems quite logical. out of her 5 loses, if she has lost 2 of them in olympics, then of course, why her, any athelete would be distraught. But it would certainly be better for us badminton freaks, if she decides to go on... anyway, i was a bit surprised to know that she is a buddhist..
i think its just the law of probability taking effect. no one has 100% success rate. its just bad luck that 1% just took place in the olympics
She lost THREE in the Olympics in fact : the final at Atlanta with Park Joo Bong, and both quarter-finals in Sydney and Athens! I really hope she will find some new motivation to carry on, she is probably currently the best feminin player in the world...
No player, however good he or she is, can be PERFECT! Their pair's weakness showed at the most inopportune time during the most prestigious tournament - the Olympics and for Ra to have suffered twice in succession, this is rather cruel. Sometimes it is the mind that played tricks. The more we hunger for the prize, the more illusive it becomes. At other times, the Kim/Ra combination was devastating and seemed indestructible. Maybe, they were more relaxed at all the other tournaments except the most crucial at Athens. One can't help but sympathise with Ra. Most would want her to end her career on a high note as Olympic Champ. But fate would have it otherwise and it would be next to impossible for her to make another return to the Olympics and succeed, I'm afraid. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak for Ra would be past 30 the next time around.
Strange article. It sounds like she expected their victory run to just go on forever. Ra should know (better than many) that winning can never be taken for granted.
I don't think this article is strange. Ra said that her aim was to win a gold medal but didn't think it was taken for granted. Should Ra know? HaHa.. Don't think about her like that. But, Korean peaple and Korean journal were sure that Kim/Ra would win a gold medal. I also thought it was natural for Kim/Ra to win a gold medal. I was sure that Rasmussen/Olsen would have a medal although it was bronze medal. To win Kim/Ra was a good chance to Danes. Anyway, I think that Kim/ Ra is the best mixed pair now.
I heard that Kim Dong Moon's retiring is not sure. He is in anguish now. He said he would decide to join Korea Team 'or' to retire without haste. I think his agony is due to lack of good doubles player in Korea Team.
Even more strangely I agree with Mag for once! However it could just be a bad reporter, or even more likely a bad translation from Korean, having watched Ra for many years she does not look to be arrogant or take her wins for granted.
kim's not g2 retire if he has conscience... imagine how ra felt when she lost and her partner (kdm) in the same olympics, went on to win a gold medal in another event . now since we discovered ra is g2 keep going, the stage is set for kdm to keep going. she would need a partner, and kdm would know he's the only suitable one that can be her partner. besides, it's such a waste to retire now, this is still kdm's peak age, although a little old, but he can still win more titles.
mmm It's just one of those things, you know only losing in 5 matches in her career and all. I mean who in the world has lost so little in such a long period of time. Maybe she had a bad day during the olympics? Had eaten something bad? Other factors involved?
btw what does that 5 loss mean? does it mean she only lost 5 times in her career in xd?? so that means she won every other tournaments except those?
Kim/Ra were favorites to win gold... nothing but that. I think it's easier than we thought to take all those wins for granted since they have lost so few times as a pair. Maybe they didn't expect to win gold easily but they get additional pressure with high expectations from eveybody else. It's probably why we don't see many no.1s win olympic gold.
Yes, I was thinking along that line too. Perhaps the article reflects the disappointment of the reporter more than Ra's true reactions...
The reporter made a mistake. Kim/Ra lost to Liu/Ge 4 times and also 3 times to Zhang/Gao in their career. They have also lost to Timur/Kushyanto, JR/Rikke Olsen, and Archer/Goode before.
I guess the question for Ra is more on timing, "why it happens in Athens2004" ? No players can sustain victory forever. If Ra/Kim retires before Athens2004, then they will be known as the legends in badminton, like Rudy Hartono. If they continue to play for few more years, there will be loses down the road for sure. Maybe she can ask KDM why they lost ? If I were Ra, I would say "it is my partner's fault, he played sucks that day he he.... " just kidding, I never do that to my partner.
