I have just finished watching the match between HBJ and AY Thanks for the link, Justin. The commentator had used up all the adjectives and I am left with none to describe the match. It is like a breath of fresh air listening to his commentary. What a privilege it was for those of you who could watch the match live, be it in the stadium or on TV.
I did not watch the entire match because the streaming was interrupted time and again. But from the little that I saw it was indeed a titantic showdown between these two young ladies. They played hard to try to win every point. Indeed at one point, HBJ was down but never gave up and that won her a point that confounded AY. AY was the more consistent during her earlier rounds, less so for HBJ. Just as Busanan was impressive before her injury in the SF. AY could have wrapped up the match in two closely fought games but HBJ was too pumped up to let go, largely aided by the strong home supporters who kept chanting "Jia Yu" to lift her spirits and determination. AY had no such motivation especially when the match dragged longer and even her usually reliable physically abilities had abandoned her. It was not AY's day but her chance for revenge will surely come in the not too distant future. Then we shall have a chance to watch another epic!
For the livestream, I realized you have to refresh the page after every match or it starts to act up (particularly when commentary is added in, I noticed). It's certainly worth catching the replay - search for it here http://nanjing.ovp.olympic.tv/ , the 4th icon on the left menu and choose the date and event. According to Penwinack, Busanan was injured 3 days before the Nanjing YOG, not just before the SF with He BJ, but she was still well enough to win bronze eventually. Btw, He Bingjiao last beat Busanan at the WJC'14 semifinal when she wasn't injured. I feel Busanan was too stressed up putting tremendous pressure on herself to deliver results at the junior championships, otherwise I believe she'd win at least one WJC/AJC/YOG; maybe next year if her age allows. True, HBJ didn't impress during the group stage with her nervous play, then from the QF stage she started to regain her footing and at the final when she wasn't expected to win (maybe her coach and perhaps LYB himself indicated to her as much which enabled her to unload the burden off her shoulder), she let herself go and rose to the occasion for a sensational victory. The archrivalry between these two young titans has only just begun and we should look forward to seeing much more of them crossing swords henceforth. I for one can't wait for it to happen soon enough.
I was thinking about it too until I saw both of them standing at the podium to pose for photo-taking and noticed HBJ was taller than AY by almost a head. If as Zhunagcorp said HBJ is about 5'6", then she isn't that short, definitely not tall enough either in badminton terms but still acceptable, any disadvantage in height can be made up for in skills, speed of movement and fitness; for the latter two criteria, a lot of hard, physical training is required, esp for stocky builds like hers and Akane's. I'd have thought Akane's shorter stature and similar stockiness is more of a concerned but so far she's doing just fine, her pace of movement and remarkable court coverage so smooth and effortless, it amazes me. I tend to regard her more as a stroke, rally-type player and lately she has acquired a smashing ability from the back tramlines for outright winners which makes her even more dangerous, a weapon she unleashes now and then in addition to her already very good front-court play with lots of drop shots and nets. Zhaungcorp was right to point out WSX and WX as good examples where lack of height isn't a handicap. I'd add Lee CW as an excellent example of swiftness despite his being relatively short. To my knowledge, one stops growing any taller after age 20, generally speaking. So there's room for improvement in that aspect for HBJ and AY who are both still only 17 yrs old now.
Yes we agree that HBJ was certainly the better player in the final, but of the future it has yet to be seen. AY on the other hand has played well against LX and RI as well as other senior players. HBJ hasnt played against these great players yet. In the Final AY was surprised by the fitter and vastly improved HBJ and had a lot of pressure on her shoulders. But it must be said that HBJ deserved this victory for a superb performance.
I am very impressed with SY. He possess good shot making skills which allows him to be a deceptive player. In the first set of the semi finals against AJ he was very impressive. If he can produce that sort of game consistently he will most certainly rise up in the rankings. All four players in the semi finals as well as June Wei Cheam are future stars and and it augurs well for the game. There are also other young players from Thailand and Indonesia. Together we have a lot of good badminton to watch. The only setback is that we dont get to see them in the minor tournaments as its not a super series event. How wrong they are!! Just look at the ladies final!
Both targets were achieved by the 2 INA players. Anthony Ginting Sinisuka fulfilled the target of at least a medal. It could have been better as he was leading 1-0 and 15-12 against Lin Guipu in the second-set of the SF match, only for him to lose focus and lost the set 19-21. it was at 17-15 when Anthony's judgement let him down and allowed Lin to win a point. He also protested to no avail and that point was crucial because Lin gained momentum and won 5 pts in a row straight after that to make it 20-17. Anthony saved 2 match pt but could not save the set eventually. The third-set began with Lin Guipu storming to take an early lead but Anthony could still catch up and even led at the break 11-10. That only persisted to 12-11 and it was at this pt that the CHN player really stepped up a gear and created a comfortable 17-12 lead in a quick fashion. Anthony tried to play catch-up again to 14-17 but it was not enough and he lost 17-21 in the decider set. Overall, it was a decent performance from Anthony and much is hoped from the trio of Ihsan Maulana Mustofa (Bronze at WJC 2013), Jonatan Christie (sadly no medal at the junior stage but he already won an IC title in 2013 and nearly defended that last week, losing to Lee Hyun Il in 5-sets with the new scoreline system), and Anthony Ginting Sinisuka (Brone at WJC 2014 and Youth Olympics 2014).
YOG 2014 Medals http://www.nanjing2014.org/en/en_aboutus/aboutMedal_en.htm Medal The medal for Nanjing 2014 is designed by Matej Čička, a 23-year-old young sports fan from Slovakia. Čička was the winner of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Medal Design Competition, organised by the the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The winning entry, "Track of Winners", was chosen from a pool of over 300 entries from over 50 countries by a prestigious IOC jury who described it as “modern, fresh and dynamic” when they were brought together from around the globe to pick the winner. “I was inspired by the athletes’ track which, to me, means the base of the Youth Olympic Games. So I put it into my concept and used different shapes to represent the winning athletes and the podium. And finally I called it The Track of Winners.” Said Čička. The judging panel comprised of world-renowned designer, Thomas Heatherwick, the man behind the iconic Olympic cauldron at the London 2012 Olympic Games; Youth Olympic Games 400m hurdles gold medalist Aurelie Chaboudez (FRA); Olympic short-track speed skating champion Yang Yang (CHN); Youth Olympic Games Ambassador Yelena Isinbaeva (RUS); Olympic fencer and IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Claudia Bokel (GER); and IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli. The panel also selected two runner-up designs. They were ‘A Hug From Lele!’ by Hugo Fernandez, 29, from Spain; and ‘Stripes of Victory’ by Csaba Szitas, 28, from Slovakia. On his role as a jury member, Thomas said: “It's been thrilling to have the chance to look through so many exciting ideas from all over the world and to feel how much the Youth Olympic Games mean to young people.” The competition was launched online in September 2013 and invited fans all over the world to get inspired by the Olympic values and share in the YOG spirit by submitting their designs. Čička's winning design will feature on the face of the gold, silver and bronze medals awarded in Nanjing from 16 to 28 August. His prize includes a trip to the Games, tickets to the Opening Ceremony and a full collection of the medals featuring his design.
Beijing’s Nanjing boost The Nanjing Games’ selfie campaign reached 400 million people 24 hours after the opening ceremony. Photo: Getty Images Chinese organisers believe Youth Olympics will enhance 2022 Winter Games bid By [h=2]Adelene Wong[/h] adelenewong@mediacorp.com.sg - Published: 4:03 AM, August 29, 2014 NANJING — Even though criticisms of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing persist, Chinese officials believe Nanjing’s successful staging of the second Youth Olympic Games could boost the Chinese capital’s chances of hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing, Oslo and Almaty are vying to host the 2022 Winter Games, with the decision announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur in July next year. Although a success, the Beijing Olympics came under heavy criticism, including the under-utilisation of many of its venues after the Games, after US$42 billion (S$52.5 billion) was reportedly spent to organise it, making it the most expensive summer Olympics to date. But Xu Ning, executive vice-secretary general of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, told TODAY that the city’s staging of the Youth Olympics, which IOC president Thomas Bach described as a “resounding success” at last night’s closing ceremony, can help swing Beijing’s chances of staging the Winter Olympics in eight years’ time. “I think the world is increasingly gaining confidence in China’s ability to do things,” said Xu, who personally thanked the Games’ estimated 20,000 volunteers at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre. “Now it is unequivocal from the athletes I have met and the officials I worked with that it is top-class organisation from Nanjing.” Beijing appears favourite to secure the IOC’s nod to stage the 2022 Winter Olympics and become the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympics. An online poll this week by Norwegian daily VG reported that 56 per cent of the 1,020 respondents were against the Norwegian capital’s bid. Norway’s government has also yet to give its official backing. Kazakhstan’s capital Almaty, the third candidate city, is regarded as having an outside chance. The IOC could also opt for a “safer option”, particularly after how this year’s Sochi Winter Olympics was mired in controversy, including poorly-functioning or missing amenities at the Games Village, security threats and Russia’s anti-gay laws. Former IOC president Jacques Rogge also said Beijing will do a “good job” if chosen. Despite the late withdrawals of Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone due to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in west Africa, the two-week-long Youth Olympics went smoothly. An estimated 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 from 201 National Olympic Committees took part, with 222 events across 28 sports held at 14 venues. China topped the medal standings with 38 gold, 13 silver and 14 bronze. Singapore finished joint-36th with two gold and two silver. The Games were shown in more than 160 countries. In China, up to four hours of daily coverage was shown by China Central Television, but strong ratings saw it increase to six hours. The Games’ selfie campaign reached 400 million people 24 hours after the opening ceremony, but at the closing ceremony last night, Bach said: “Get your smart phones out, but do not take a selfie,” he said. “Greet the person next to you and take their picture. Share this token of friendship with the world, and post it with the hashtag #Nanjing2014.”
'Flawless' Youth Olympics close with spectacular ceremony Published on Aug 28, 2014 11:00 PM Fireworks ignite in the sky during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Jiangsu province on Aug 28, 2014. The second Youth Olympics concluded in Nanjing on Thursday after a spectacular closing ceremony and a glowing endorsement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). -- PHOTO: REUTERS Performers dance during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Jiangsu province on Aug 28, 2014. The second Youth Olympics concluded in Nanjing on Thursday after a spectacular closing ceremony and a glowing endorsement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). -- PHOTO: REUTERS International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach waves the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Jiangsu province on Aug 28, 2014. The second Youth Olympics concluded in Nanjing on Thursday after a spectacular closing ceremony and a glowing endorsement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). -- PHOTO: REUTERS NANJING, China (REUTERS) - The second Youth Olympics concluded in Nanjing on Thursday after a spectacular closing ceremony and a glowing endorsement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Around 2,000 performers were involved in the ceremony, which was attended by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the IOC president Thomas Bach. The sporting competition, which began two weeks ago and involved almost 4,000 athletes aged between 14 and 18, had ended on Wednesday with the host-nation finishing as the most successful country with 38 golds, although the IOC did not keep official medals tables. Chinese swimmer Shen Duo was the most successful athlete of the Games, winning six golds. The Games broke records for participants, attendances and social media interaction and featured athletes expected to graduate to the Summer Olympics in the years to come. "You have given us a glimpse of your bright future and the bright future of the Olympic movement," Bach said in his speech at the closing ceremony. He also praised China's hosting of the Games, describing them as "perfectly flawless". "The Organising Committee has set a great example for sustainable organisation by making use of a legacy and by leaving another great legacy to the people," Bach said. "I would like to thank all our Chinese hosts. With your already world-famous efficiency and with your overwhelming friendliness you have made all of us feel at home in this ancient great city, in this modern and dynamic city of Nanjing." The Youth Olympics were first held in Singapore in 2010. The first Winter Youth Games were staged two years later, in Innsbruck. The next Winter Games will be in Lillehammer in 2016 before the next Summer Games in Buenos Aires in 2018.
