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If it doesn't happen today for LCW, it was just never meant to be. His sordid tale exemplifies the cruelty of sport. For an onlooker, there is also a tinge of hilarity but really, my overriding feeling is respect for how many times he's picked himself off the ground from heartbreak to come back next time. Go get your Gold, LCW.
My prediction is Chen Long will win the match and grab second Gold Medal for China. All of my predictions in this Olympic were wrong. I hope I will be proven wrong again .
It seems everyone's rooting for LCW. Poor CL. Alright then Dragon Chen it's time to devour your prey. Jia You.
Each country already has their share of Gold. Give it to your big bro LCW after a tough match yesterday You can wait for 2020
Lin Dan has a duty to maximise Yonex's marketing campaign at the Olympics though he is not keen on the bronze. It should be an interesting and entertaining match, the outcome I'm not sure but I think Yonex will prefer him on the podium than not, for publicity's sake.
Does Lin Dan even care for Bronze? i mean, he will stand besides two of his biggest current rivals if he wins it. and it's not like Rio is his last tournament. So my bet goes to Axelsen. As for the Gold, i know LCW is on beast mode, but i hope Chen Long bags it.
China already getting bashed for not getting enough medal for badminton so Lin Dan will get Bronze. Chen Long will likely get Gold because LCW yesterday match doesn't give enough recovery time and Chen Long has a easy match yesterday. Unless Chen Long make alot of unforeseen errors, LCW stand no chance at all.
Still, Yonex pay him big money. And for someone who is retiring soon, not going to be an active player, he has to fulfil the contractual obligations in other ways, such as playing the occasional tournaments, maybe in team championships for CHN, taking part in professional leagues, doing commercial activities with a badminton theme, starting his own badminton club (hopefully, but I doubt), and suchlike. Suppose, Yonex, the paymaster says, 'Lin Dan, win it as we would like you on the Olympic podium watched by millions", can he say , no ? Maybe, Yonex is willing to give him quite a lot of leeway,knowing his character, and it suits the kind of image Yonex is projecting for him. I don't know. We'll see. Let's watch the match.
If LCW were to play this bronze medal playoff nobody would doubt that he will give his everything regardless of the opponent.