Malaysia is fortunate enough to be in the semis thanks to outstanding performance of Iskandar and Zhong Wei Feng (Korea or China would have whipped Msia 4-1), loosing to eventual Champion Denmark is predictable and nothing to be ashamed of. I dont see anyone is letting anybody down.
Come on, give some credits to Emil Holst and Denmark coaching staff. Chong played well, Emil was just better. Denmark has 4 good singles rotation for different line up while Malaysia line up is very much decided. The final line up against Indonesia was just brilliant.
Dont take that wrong, all credit to Emil, but for someone who wanted to replace LCW at some point that was really not a strong showing. Fairly uncreative play, and little visible fight in the end. But it was miles ahead of Koo/Tan. That anybody still fields (and pays) those two baffles me time and time again.
Khoo/Tan are the second highest ranking double available and third double pair is distance behind and I can't even name who. Experience in big tournament is proven to be vital at times, it was the decision by the coaching staff and technical director Morten Frost, respect their decision (Lee Yong Bo was criticized the same after Chen Long lost), so be it and nobody should take any blame. They have done their part to serve and try to bring pride to the country. "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."--------------JFK.
With the sixth Indonesia Open title, Lee Chong Wei reclaimed the World No. 1 spot. He would be NO. 1 seed for 2016 Summer Olympics.
only Iskandar is not enough, others like Soo Teck Zhi, Soong Joo Ven, Cheam June Wei, R.Satheishtharan, Chong Yee Han, Lee Zii Jia, Tan Teck Han, etc... need to come out show some potential, just like the current INA's big three Jonatan Christie, Anthony Ginting and Ihsan Maulana Mustofa...
Of course there's still a lot potential players. But at this moment, only Iskandar prominent among all young star and break out improvement compare to last few years. Indonesia MS very balance overall, doesn't like Msia only LCW to carry the whole team to every tournaments.
Hans-Kristian Vittinghus. becoming as a senior player in late 2005. he has recaptured the title in Norway twice, in 2009 and 2010. He's currently 30 years old. Recently beated 21 years old Korean young star Jeon Hyeok-jin in 2016 Australia Open. He's playing brilliantly at his late age. For an athlete, ages it's their main issue. But athlete's spirit it's a main key for a breakout, fighting spirit. LCW still manage to climb back to World no.1 ranking from rank 180 and he's 33. Who can explain this ? No matter how young an athlete. Their fighting spirit & attitude it's another affected the whole changes.
The repeated problematic scenario in the BAM training camp is that in this so many years we've noted that without doubt that they are able to produce talented young players that can excel very well in the junior level be it in the asian or world circuit but then the main hiccups starts when it comes into translating them to world class beater in the senior circuit. Once upon a time... In a badminton court far far away... We have arif who was once in a same boat with chen long while they were in the junior circuit together (and even beaten him) but now while CL has already once become world number 1 and world champion, arif is no near to his league. And again, in another court not that far far away, we have zulfadli who was once the asian and world junior champion (also in the same boat with axelson) and while axelson is currently amoung the world top MS players and also gave Datuk Lcw a hard time in the recently concluded TC, zulfadli is still struggling to find a consistent form while competing in the ss circuit. Be it iskandar as well, at their current age, their effort should now focus on producing excellent results consistently rather then struggling to produce consistent excellent results. Theoritically when their competitive age is near 30+, they should already won several important tournaments and ranked within the bracket of world top 10 or at least can be seen as a threat in the MS department regardless in any of the SS circuit. Unless BAM training structure (and chain of management) could not find a solution then there will be no solution. Unlike Datuk LCW, he is a rare breed of player that is impossible to be replace (likely not within this many many years). The main asset that makes Datuk excel extremely well is actually centered in his character. Despite all of the up and down in BAM that he has to endure in this many years, his strong mental attitude and strict self discipline in how he treat his badminton way of life is unmatched and this qualities are absent in the players in the BAM camp. SS
though i cant understand anything that is spoken in the video, looks like a nice one from Badminton live news facebook account.
In Olympic swansong, Lee carries Malaysia’s hopes for gold again Lee Chong Wei’s career has been haunted by near misses. Photo: GETTY IMAGES The shuttler has won all but Olympic gold and a world title, but nemesis Lin Dan may be obstacle again Published: 4:00 AM, July 25, 2016 KUALA LUMPUR — A nation’s hopes of Olympic glory can be a burden for the toughest of athletes, but few can know of the pressures that badminton’s world No 1 Lee Chong Wei has to shoulder. The loser of successive gold medal duels in London and Beijing, Lee will bid to banish eight years of heartbreak at the Rio Games and end Malaysia’s long wait for an Olympic champion. Nearly a decade at the top has made Lee a rock star of the sport and a huge celebrity in Asia, but his career has been haunted by agonising near misses on the world’s biggest stages. In human form, the agony is Lin Dan, the Roger Federer of the sport, who trounced Lee in the Beijing final, and edged him in a nerve-shredding re-match at Wembley Arena in London. Lee was two points from gold in London, but the Chinese slammed the door shut with three perfectly played points to leave his opponent crushed once again. Lee’s big-match woes have come to embody Malaysia’s frustration at the Games. Athletes from the South-east Asian nation of 30 million have mounted the Olympic podium six times but never climbed to the top. Underscoring the country’s badminton fervour, five of the medals were won by its shuttlers, a decent record given the sport only joined the Olympic programme in 1992. Malaysian badminton, however, is at a low ebb compared to a decade ago when its top players were prevalent at global tournaments. Lee has few compatriots to share the weight of home expectations at Rio, with the exception of 10th-ranked mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying. Lee meant for London to be his Olympic swansong, but three months shy of his 34th birthday, he will contest his fourth Games and Rio now raises the tantalising prospect of another titanic clash with Lin, regarded by some as badminton’s greatest-ever player. The rivalry is accentuated by their opposite personas: Lee, methodical and unassuming; Lin, fiery and charismatic. Their epic Olympic final battles have been credited with fuelling wider interest in the sport. Also in the Rio mix is formidable Chinese world No 2 Chen Long — whom Lee recently overtook on the world rankings. “(Gold) is not only my dream but also the dream of all Malaysians,” said Lee earlier this month. “I have to make the best preparation as this is my last Olympic Games.” Already possessing a dazzling array of weapons ranging from lightning-quick defence to powerful, deep smashes, Lee spends hours daily on those skills and on honing his deft footwork, repeatedly leaving sparring partners flat-footed. But at Rio, the microscope will be trained hard on Lee for another reason: His reputation was stained after he failed a drug test at the 2014 world championships. He was provisionally suspended in November of that year and faced a potentially career-ending ban after testing positive for dexamethasone, a widely administered anti-inflammatory used to treat asthma and altitude sickness. Yet the following April, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) controversially handed him a backdated eight-month ban that allowed him to return to competition a few days after the judgement. The BWF said it was convinced of Lee’s claim that he had taken the substance inadvertently and had no intention to cheat, but the ruling drew criticism around the world. Lee’s ranking plummeted outside the top 100 while sidelined, but he has fought back hard over the past year and reclaimed the No 1 spot from Chen with victory at the Indonesian Open in June. His impressive return has coincided with an unorthodox partnership with team coach and Indonesian former world champion Hendrawan, who was appointed soon after Lee’s doping reprieve. Hendrawan and the Badminton Association of Malaysia have largely kept Lee sheltered from the Games hype and also been cagey about the player’s fitness after he missed tournaments in Australia and Taiwan last month due to a buttock injury. But Lee has said he will be front and centre at Rio as Malaysia’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony. From there, he has “nowhere to hide”, said Hendrawan, a silver medallist at the 2000 Sydney Games. “Chong Wei is not young. So he has to use his energy efficiently. He is also being prepared to handle pressure and to stay focused,” he added. “At the Olympics, it is not about the physical or technical (aspect) any more. It’s about the pressure and how to lessen it.” AGENCIES
An interview with Lee Chong Wei , in the background his training and his departure to Rio. Source : 陈韵传Tan Yunn Chzuan - Yunna facebook page. I actually got this from the video shared by badminton live news
Lee Chong Wei: I am feeling the pressure ”I feel more pressure on my shoulders as after the next four years I think I have no chance, so this is my last chance,” Lee said in Rio. http://badmintonplanet.com/badminton-news/4522-lee-chong-wei-feeling-pressure-in-rio.html
