LIN DAN SHATTERS A MALAYSIAN DREAM
It lasted only 41 minutes but they were probably the longest and most agonizing minutes in the badminton life of Malaysian Lee Chong Wei. He was on the world’s most famous stage, the Olympics, and playing for the most coveted trophy, the Gold Medal… the ultimate dream of every sportsperson.
He was representing Malaysia, a nation that had dominated world badminton through the forties, fifties and sixties, but yet had not been successful in the winning a gold medal in the 16-year history of the Olympic Games.
Finally, the moment arrived – 17th August 2008 - the final day of competition in the badminton events at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Lee Chong Wei was in the finals of the Men’s Singles, a platform no Malaysian had ever been in the history of the sport.
The 26-year old Chong Wei was ranked 2nd in the event and had performed creditably well in the preliminaries to earn himself a place in the Final. He was physically and mentally in trim form and just as importantly, he was aware of the expectations of his countrymen. He was well prepared and in a position to deliver.
