"Fascinating Badminton Facts from the Olympic Games"
Trang Napie
Sat Aug 03 2024
Badminton has been a thrilling and competitive sport in the Olympic Games since its debut in Barcelona 1992. Over the years, numerous unique and remarkable moments have unfolded on the badminton courts of the Olympics, showcasing the talents and stories of athletes from around the world.
1. The inaugural badminton match at the Olympics was a men's singles clash between Foo Kok Keong of Malaysia and Hans Sperre of Norway in Barcelona 1992. The first point ball used in that match is now on display at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
2. Indonesian player Susi Susanti won the first-ever gold medal in women's singles badminton, followed shortly by her fiancé at the time, Alan Budi Kusuma, who clinched the gold in the men's singles category.
3. China leads as the most successful nation in badminton at the Olympics with 20 gold medals, followed by Indonesia with 8 and South Korea with 6.
4. The Sidek brothers from Malaysia are the only siblings to have won Olympic medals in badminton. Rashid Sidek secured a bronze in men's singles at Atlanta 1996, following his elder brothers Razif and Jalani's silver in men's doubles at Barcelona 1992.
5. Mia Audina won Olympic silver representing different countries - Indonesia in Atlanta 1996 and the Netherlands in Athens 2004, showcasing her versatility and skill.
6. Poul-Erik Høyer, the 1996 gold medalist, is now the President of the BWF, while his opponent in the final, Dong Jiong, heads the coaching staff of China's Para badminton team.
7. Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei reached three consecutive men's singles finals (2008, 2012, 2016), falling short to Lin Dan twice and Chen Long in 2016.
8. Four female badminton pairs were disqualified at London 2012 for not giving their best effort to win. Greysia Polii of Indonesia, among the disqualified, later redeemed herself with a gold in Tokyo 2020.
9. China's streak of five consecutive gold medals in women's doubles from 1996 to 2012 remains the longest in any badminton discipline at the Olympics.
10. Chen Long's silver in Tokyo 2020 completed his set of Olympic medals - bronze in London 2012, gold in Rio 2016, and silver in Tokyo 2020. Other greats with full sets include Gao Ling of China and Gil Young Ah of South Korea.
11. At least one top seed has emerged victorious at every Olympics in recent history.
12. Greysia Polii became the oldest female badminton player to win gold at 33 years and 356 days during the Tokyo 2020 final.
13. The youngest badminton gold medalist, Lee Yong Dae of South Korea, was 19 years and 341 days old when he triumphed in the mixed doubles in 2008.
The Olympic badminton tournament has produced a myriad of fascinating stories, records, and achievements, making it a captivating sport that continues to captivate fans worldwide.