“WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” That’s what I used to be considering as I watched seed after seed being toppled within the Olympics this 12 months. Upset after upset completely undermined my predictions, and I’m certain many others! We’ve seen huge upsets earlier than within the Olympics however I don’t suppose anybody was anticipating the occasions to unfold the way in which they did. Badminton within the Tokyo Olympics was actually a rollercoaster trip!
Classes Realized – Badminton Tokyo Olympics
If badminton on the Tokyo Olympics has confirmed something, it’s that rank doesn’t matter. You could be the perfect on the earth and never carry out on the massive stage. You’ll be able to have a rank effectively exterior the highest ten and obtain issues that the seeded gamers couldn’t. Granted this was a special Olympics with many difficulties main as much as the occasion itself. Covid hampered preparations and the delay within the video games. Lack of tournaments may need additionally contributed to the downfall of a number of the athletes. However then once more, everybody was in the identical boat and people with important disadvantages have confirmed that they didn’t want the highest quality coaching amenities to succeed.
China A True Energy Home Of The Sport
China has all the time been a significant power in badminton. However after the retirement of their golden technology of gamers, there have been some questions requested of their dominance in badminton. All of a sudden, the fields have been changing into far more stage. Notably within the ladies’s disciplines and males’s disciplines. However as soon as once more China proves that they’re the nation for the massive event.
Since covid shut down the BWF World Tour, that they had not competed internationally. This lack of match expertise towards different gamers would simply have been thought-about to be a possible pitfall within the preparation of China for the Olympics. And but, they discovered themselves contesting each gold medal match in badminton on the Tokyo Olympics. Even the Japanese, enjoying on house turf couldn’t emulate the efficiency of their Chinese language counterparts.
So how did they do it? Effectively, I could make just a few educated guesses. China has such a deep pool of gamers that they will most likely replicate comparable enjoying types of their opponents throughout their squad. Not solely that, their psychological recreation appears second to none. A lot of the Chinese language gamers present no signal of nerves in any respect. That is the most important asset while you play the Olympics video games. A flaw in your mentality is what results in errors.
I additionally consider the evaluation of their opponents is spot on. Though they haven’t performed them in a very long time, they’re nonetheless capable of decide weaknesses of their recreation and use them to their benefit. And lastly, their teaching employees hosts an entire checklist of ex-Olympic champions and World champions. All of who can impart their expertise, information and experience. China was clearly on a mission to reassert its dominance within the greatest occasion in badminton and boy did they succeed. The badminton within the Tokyo Olympics was virtually their area.
Males’s Singles
So I used to be fairly off on my prediction of this one! In fact, Kento Momota was most likely on the highest of everybody’s checklist because the gold medalist. However Heo Kwang-Hee had different plans. The world-ranked 38 performed such a optimistic recreation however Momota appeared virtually lacklustre in his motion. Not the standard dynamic play we see from him in any respect. Consequently, Momota’s Olympics was over after two group video games.
There have been different surprises on the group stage too. Toby Penty performed most likely the perfect badminton of his profession on the Tokyo Olympics however was eradicated by Anders Antonsen after topping his group. En route, he beat the Thai Wangcharoen a high 20 participant. He did go down preventing however sadly was not capable of match the extent of the Danish participant.
One other European who maybe unexpectedly topped their group was Mark Calijouw. The Indian, Sai Pranteeth unexpectedly did not win a single group recreation. This opened up the group for Mark to capitalise on.
And naturally, we have now to say Kevin Cordon. The veteran unexpectedly topped his group. Not that he wasn’t able to it, however he had in his group world ranked no. 8 Ng Ka Lengthy who I anticipated to progress. There was some controversy round Ng Ka Lengthy however this isn’t to remove from Cordon’s improbable play. His dream run continued all the way in which to the semi-finals which was past most likely what he himself dared to dream. Sadly, Viktor Axelsen was only one step too far for the Guatemalan. A bronze medal playoff towards Anthony Ginting was the final match of his marketing campaign through which he went down preventing. This ultimate rating: 21-11, 21-13.
Ginting himself had a troublesome quarterfinal towards Anders Antonsen, needing three video games to take the match. His semi-final towards then reigning champion Chen Lengthy was a tall ask. Chen Lengthy’s expertise actually confirmed by way of and he was merely capable of suppress the velocity of Ginting and safe himself a second successive Olympic ultimate. Anthony Ginting must accept the bronze medal. The primary Olympic medal in males’s singles because the legend Taufik received gold in 2004 for Indonesia.
Within the finals, Chen Lengthy confronted Viktor Axelsen. Viktor was coming into this competitors in nice kind and for somebody who hasn’t performed worldwide competitions for over a 12 months, Chen Lengthy seemed to be as steady and reliable as ever for China. Nevertheless, within the finals, Chen Lengthy didn’t actually have any solutions towards the scientific play of Axelsen.
Though they’re each of comparable top, Viktor appears to make use of his top higher to create angles and hit pictures that even China’s nice wall couldn’t defend towards. Needing solely two video games to safe his victory, his feelings burst inside him. The realisation he was now Olympic champion didn’t appear to register with him for fairly a while! Chen Lengthy this time, must accept silver – finishing a full set of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals throughout three completely different Olympics.
Ladies’s Singles
In contrast to the lads’s, the group levels appeared a way more easy affair for the seeded gamers, with these you’d anticipate to progress in every group making it to the elimination levels. Likewise, within the first knock out spherical, there was little drama for the standard suspects who we’ve come to see dominate the ladies’s singles occasions. The spirited An Se-young beat her Thai counterpart Ongbamrungphan to succeed in the quarter-finals of her first Olympics which was an excellent achievement.
The large story on the preliminary knockout levels was Beiwen Zhang, who appeared in nice kind, however needed to concede to her opponent attributable to harm. Having been one recreation up as effectively, Beiwen was enjoying strong badminton till the harm and had a good chance to make the quarter-finals. So unhappy to see an athlete crash out with an harm in any event, however significantly the Olympic video games.
Japanese hopes of a medal have been shattered within the quarterfinals with, Nozomi Okuhara and Akane Yamaguchi being toppled by Hebing Jiao and PV Sindu respectively. PV Sindu took a comparatively simple first recreation towards Yamaguchi earlier than having to battle for the second recreation, simply successful 22-20. The ladies’s singles have been maybe certainly one of Japan’s strongest alternatives for a medal in badminton, nevertheless it was to not be this 12 months.
Tai Tzu Ying and Ratchanok Intanon had fought a troublesome battle within the quarter-finals as effectively. As all the time when these two face one another, a dynamic, intently contested match was extremely pleasing to observe, with each giving their all. But it surely was the Taiwanese who ultimately took the match. It which was stuffed with spectacular rallies and all-out efforts which actually confirmed the preventing spirit of each gamers. You could possibly see the ache on Ratchanok’s face as she was ultimately defeated and her Olympic dream was ended.
The bronze medal match finally got here all the way down to PV Sindu – who was defeated within the semi-finals by Tai Tzu Ying and Hebing Jiao, who was defeated by her compatriot Chen Yufei. PV Sindhu’s attacking play and technique was simply too good for Hebing Jiao, defeating her opponent in 52 minutes. A double Olympic medalist, she now cements her place as India’s greatest badminton athlete ever. A real function mannequin for Indians, females and aspiring badminton gamers all around the world.
The gold medal match was determined in a three-game thriller. Chen Yufei performed an excellent technique towards Tai Tzu Ying, who equally responded not together with her typical wizardry, however a extra easy type of play (effectively largely – it’s TTY in any case!). Chen Yufei is like the feminine model of Chen Lengthy. She likes to carry rallies till that second comes the place she will be able to take benefit. Tai Tzu Ying is actually match sufficient to play the same type, however her persona exhibits by way of in her recreation and that slight flamboyancy that we’re so used to creeps by way of from time to time.
And I feel it was her need to go for winners and Chen Yufei’s persistence that finally was Tai’s downfall. Not that there was a lot in it in any respect! However the factors got away by Tai Tzu Ying on free pictures and unforced errors actually value her the match. The winners performed by Chen Yufei have been just a bit bit extra scientific. Each gave it their all which was emulated within the scores 21-18, 21-19, 21-18 in favour of the Chinese language. An incredible ultimate match between these two glorious ambassadors of the game.
Males’s Doubles
Fortunately for me, I precisely predicted the 2 groups of every group that may be going by way of to the knock out rounds. It was all downhill for me there although. However there was severe upset on the quarter-finals with the minions being ousted by Malaysians Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. I had a sense the minions have been going to underperform at these video games however I believed they might at the least medal. A disappointing outcome for them for certain.
And the Japanese contingent have been additionally knocked out at this stage. Watanabe and Endo have been crushed by Taiwan’s Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin and Kamura and Sonoda by the Indonesian daddies. The Japanese I feel actually bowed to stress at their house video games. I feel we have been all anticipating a bit extra from them, particularly contemplating on paper at the least, they’re simply as robust as China.
The bronze medalists have been the Malaysians. A tremendous achievement for them, and naturally, maybe made sweeter that they beat their idols Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. Malaysian’s can actually be happy with one other Olympic medal so as to add to Lee Chong Wei’s and Peng Quickly/Goh Liu Ying’s Rio marketing campaign again in 2016.
The finals have been maybe between sudden finalists in Taiwan’s Yang/Wang and China’s twin towers of Li/Liu. However Taiwan had been enjoying amazingly effectively all through the event, taking down the daddies, Watanabe/Endo earlier than taking down the Chinese language. I have to confess that though I believed the Taiwanese have been enjoying extraordinarily effectively in Thailand, they weren’t enjoying the likes of China or Japan. Nevertheless, they actually proved me unsuitable on this event. And the shape China confirmed towards the Malaysians was superb. So for Wang/Yang to take China down in two straight video games and declare their first (and Taiwan’s) gold medal in badminton exhibits simply how far they’ve come. Taiwan is absolutely changing into a power to be reckoned with.
Ladies’s Doubles
I’ve to leap straight to the ladies’s gold medal match when speaking about this self-discipline. Purely as a result of watching the pure emotion that radiated from Greysia Polii as she realised she received gold actually made me tear up. I don’t know her in any respect however at that second I felt like I used to be sharing in her second and it was actually particular. She and her associate Apriyani Rahayu confronted the Chinese language Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yifan. China was aiming to proceed their robust custom within the ladies’s doubles however the Indonesian’s had different concepts. They got here out all weapons blazing and following an in depth first recreation, they might not let the Chinese language play their manner within the second recreation.
The world-rank primary and two pair surprisingly have been out within the quarter-finals. Matsutomo/Nagahara have been taken down by Koreans So-hee and Seung-chan in an in depth recreation that actually went all the way in which. The Koreans actually edging the win 28-26 within the third recreation. In the meantime their compatriots Fukushima/Hirota fell to Chen/Yifan of China.
The truth that Fukushima/Hirota was able to even getting that far was exceptional. Hirota was enjoying the event in a knee brace which was the results of an harm that she suffered at a coaching camp previous to the Olympics. She may have surgical procedure now the Olympics have completed which is able to put her out of motion for an additional six months. Not the Olympics she would have needed. Nonetheless, she competed wholeheartedly in entrance of her house nation and confirmed her Olympic spirit all through.
Korea was assured a bronze medal because it was an all Korean affair within the play-off. These two pairs know one another so effectively and normally, the video games are very shut. Nevertheless, this time So-Yeong/Hee Yong was fairly dominant towards a considerably deflated trying So-hee and Seung-chan.
Combined Doubles
Within the combined doubles – China has been completely dominant. And that prepare doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time quickly. Nevertheless, the order was not what I anticipated! Huge shout out to Lauren Smith and Marcus Ellis who received their group however simply misplaced out within the quarter-finals towards Hong Kongers Man/Suet.
Jordan and Oktavianti would have appreciated to emulate the achievements of the Indonesian ladies’s workforce and 2006 champions Liliyana Natsir/Tontwoi Ahmad nevertheless it wasn’t to be this 12 months. Within the quarter-finals, that they had a troublesome battle with the world primary’s Siwei and Yaoqiong of China through which the Chinese language used their trademark energy and velocity to overpower the Indonesians.
Watanabe and Higashino additionally had a troublesome quarterfinal match – taking up the Thai pair of Puavaranukroh and Taerattanachai. Having misplaced the opening recreation, the house favourites needed to dig deep, and of their true fashionable manner of enjoying with delicate drops and velocity across the court docket, they have been capable of win the second recreation. This gave them the momentum to comply with by way of the third recreation and take it 21-14.
Sadly, the Japanese pair have been unable to succeed in the semi-finals. Wang Yilyu and Huang Dong Ping halted that development. Likewise, the opposite semi-final noticed the Hong Kong pair relegated to a bronze medal match, with Siwei/Yaqiong asserting their dominance to take them by way of to the finals.
Within the bronze medal match, Japan lastly made good on their potential in these Olympic video games. Not the medal they might have needed, however bronze within the combined doubles must do that time. I’m certain it’ll give Watanabe and Higashino the extra motivation they should push for one stage additional within the Paris Olympics 2024.
The combined doubles ultimate was performed at such a tempo that I couldn’t sustain. Assured a gold medal, China have been now not wanted to fret about getting the medal for his or her nation. They merely went all out. On the face of it Siwei and Yaqiong are the stronger workforce. However Yilyu/Dongping selected the proper second to start out closing the hole on their face to face report.
Siwei/Yaqiong had at the moment crushed their opponents 12 out of 15 occasions. In a recreation that would have gone both manner, the world quantity three’s performed a tremendous recreation that confirmed simply how a lot they’d improved over the pre-Olympic coaching interval. As coaching companions, and being remoted attributable to covid, I’m certain that they have been uncovered to the world primary’s much more within the run-up to the Olympics. This paid dividends as they performed a particularly even recreation with their compatriots simply edging the third recreation 21-19 to take their first gold medal.
Congrats to all of the medalists for a well-fought and gripping Olympic video games. With badminton on the Tokyo Olympics over now, we now look ahead to 2024 in Paris. We’ll see if the champions can defend their titles – or if new chapters are written.
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