Wow. Lee Chong Wei, Silver Medalist for Badminton Olympic, getting award tonight, he would be presented with a cheque for RM300,000 and a monthly pension of RM3,000 and now getting Datukship. Congrats Datuk Lee Chong Wei. He’s gonna be rich by playing badminton man. So who want to start play badminton now? Come join me!
From left: Misbun Sidek and Lee Chong Wei meet with Najib Razak at Parliament House today. — Bernama pic
Chong Wei to receive Olympic reward tonight
KUALA LUMPUR: The appearance of Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei caused some excitement at Parliament House yesterday.
Lee paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Malaysian pride: Abdullah proudly looking at the Olympic silver medal won by Lee at his Parliament office. Looking on is Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabry Yaacob. Lee met with the Prime Minister for 15 minutes Tuesday together with other members of the badminton team.
Najib told Lee that a special ceremony would be held at Lee’s home state in Penang tonight, in which he would be presented with a cheque for RM300,000 and a monthly pension of RM3,000 – for winning the nation a silver at the Beijing Olympics.
Asked what he would do with the money, Lee told reporters that he might buy a house and live there with his parents.
When teased that he could use the cash to get married, Lee coyly replied: “No, I’m still too young for that.”
GEORGE TOWN: Penang will award a Datukship to badminton singles player Lee Chong Wei, 26, who won the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas would confer the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), which carries the title Datuk, on Lee on Aug 30.
“The state will award the DSPN to Penang’s first Olympic silver medallist, Bukit Mertajam home-grown talent Lee Chong Wei,” Lim told a press conference Wednesday.
He said Chong Wei had done not only Penang but also Malaysia proud with his achievement.
“Even though Malaysians were disappointed that he failed to win the gold medal, we are proud at his singular achievement which has brought joy to both state and country.
“The state government hopes that this recognition will spur him on to break more records and achieve greater success to win greater glory for both Penang and Malaysia,” said Lim.
He said the DSPN was instituted in 1976 and limited to 800 living persons, and is conferred on individuals of high position who have contributed unique and valuable services to the state.
Chong Wei was not at the morning press conference as he is only scheduled to arrive from Kuala Lumpur in the evening while Lim has to fly off to Kuala Lumpur for his live debate later Wednesday night.
Also at the press conference were state Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi and Chong Wei’s eldest brother Chong Hoon, who contacted the badminton player on his mobile phone and placed it on loudspeaker mode.
Chong Wei said he was very happy and did not at all expect to get a Datukship for being a silver medallist.
“I thought that maybe, if I win the gold medal, I might be given Datukship. But no, I never expected it for the silver and was very surprised,” he said.
Chong Wei said he thought Chong Hoon was joking when he called him on Tuesday evening with the news.
“My thanks to the Penang state for fully supporting me,” he added.
Chong Hoon, 33, said he was proud of his brother and happy for him.
BEIJING (AP): Hurdler Liu Xiang’s surprise departure from the Olympics was a blow to advertisers including Coca Cola and Nike that made the 25-year-old hurdler a star of campaigns aimed at Chinese consumers.
“His marketing value has been seriously diminished,” said Chris Renner, president for China of sports marketing agency Helios Partners.
Liu has become one of China’s most familiar faces, appearing in advertisements on TV, billboards and public buses for Coca Cola Co., Nike Inc., Chinese computer maker Lenovo Group and telephone company China Mobile Ltd.
Liu’s endorsements have made him one of China’s richest athletes, bringing in 163 million yuan (US$23.8 million) last year, according to Forbes magazine.
He ranked No. 2 on its list of China’s most powerful celebrities, behind basketball star Yao Ming.
Liu Xiang at the Olympics on Monday - AP
Nike plans to continue showing television commercials in China featuring Liu, said a company spokesman, Derek Kent.
Asked whether Liu’s advertising value had declined, Kent said, “He’s an icon here in China. He has a very bright future.”
On Monday, state TV broadcast a Nike commercial featuring Liu just hours after he pulled out of the first heat of the 110-meter hurdles due to leg pain.
It showed Liu getting into starting blocks and the company slogan, “Just Do It.” With Liu out, Nike’s advertising loses some of its punch, Renner said.
“If anybody takes a hit from it, it’s certainly Nike, simply because they’re all about performance, whereas the others are about brand image,” he said.
“Nike’s all about, you don’t win silver, you lose gold. With that attitude, it’s much tougher for them, because he was certainly the cornerstone for their program.”
Advertisers that want to expand in China’s fast-growing consumer market have spent heavily to build high-profile campaigns around its Olympians. Others include Yao, who is playing for the Chinese basketball team, and divers Guo Jingjing and Wu Minxia.
But Liu was seen as the most valuable.
Softspoken and boyish, the 25-year-old was a national hero after winning the 110-meter hurdles at Athens in 2004.
While even with Yao the Chinese basketball team was thought unlikely to take gold, Liu was expected to dominate the Beijing games by repeating his triumph.
Coach Sun Haiping, who broke down in tears at a news conference as he discussed Liu’s withdrawal, suggested the public exposure added to pressure on him.
“Whenever he goes out, he sees his own picture in the streets,” Sun said.
A Coca Cola spokeswoman, Christina Lau, said the company will continue to use Liu in marketing.
But she declined to give details of advertising plans or say whether Liu’s role would change after his injury.
Liu was one of a “Chinese dream team” of Olympians who appeared on a special edition Coca Cola can issued in China last year.
“We will continue to count on Liu Xiang as an ambassador for our company and our brand because his achievements both on and off the field will continue to inspire fans and consumers throughout China,” Lau said.
Liu was the only Chinese competitor among 11 athletes sponsored by Lenovo in its “Olympic Champions” program.
Lenovo spokesman Bob Page said Liu’s photo would appear on brochures and posters released through the autumn but he said he had no information on what would happen after that.
Nike has run full-page newspaper ads in China showing athletes who won gold medals this week, including the diver Wu.
On Tuesday, Nike published the same newspaper ad showing Liu - the first non-medalist of the series.
The company said it would appear in at least seven newspapers in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, as well as on Web sites.
“It’s about picking yourself up when you’re down and coming back stronger,” Kent said.
BEIJING (AP): Liu Xiang, China’s great hope for track glory at the Beijing Games, said he was sorry for his dramatic withdrawal from the Olympics but that he had no choice because pain from a foot injury became unbearable.
“There’s so many people concerned about me and who support me. I feel very sorry. But there’s really nothing I could do,” a downcast, disconsolate Liu told China Central Television in an interview aired Tuesday.
A day earlier, Liu withdrew from his heat in the 110-meter hurdles, shocking and disappointing millions of Chinese who wanted to see him defend his Olympic title at home.
Liu appeared pale and tired, wearing a plain white T-shirt rather than the flashy red that has characterized the uniform of China’s athletes at the games.
A drop of perspiration clung to the corner of his left eyebrow as he spoke in a steady voice against a white background.
The official Xinhua News Agency said CCTV recorded the interview Monday night and showed parts of it Tuesday for the first time.
The 25-year-old Liu won China’s first Olympic gold medal on the track in Athens four years ago, and became a superstar to rival NBA hero Yao Ming at home and a posterboy worth millions for the Beijing Games.
His surprise withdrawal on Monday shocked China.
His coach was among those who wept openly.
China’s communist leaders sent a message of support to Liu and his team that was printed Tuesday on the front page of Chinese newspapers - a sign of recognition of the athlete’s popularity in China.
“I didn’t feel right when I was warming up before the race,” Liu said, in Xinhua’s translation of his comments.
“I knew my foot would fail me. I felt painful when I was just jogging.”
He talked about running a competitive time just two weeks ago.
“I didn’t know why things turned out this way,” he said.
“I wanted to hang on. But I couldn’t. It was unbearable. If I had finished the race, I would have risked my tendon. I could not describe my feeling at that moment.”
Speculation swirled for weeks that Liu was injured, and he trained in seclusion before he first appeared at the Bird’s Nest on Monday.
In his warmup, Liu grimaced through clenched teeth and limped gingerly after clearing two hurdles, but took to the blocks anyway for the first heat of the event for which he was the favorite.
When the starter’s gun fired, Liu launched out of the blocks but started hobbling immediately after the gun fired again to signal a false start by a different hurdler.
Rather than go back to the blocks, he headed inside the stadium.
Team doctors applied traditional Chinese medicine treatments to bring down the swelling on Liu’s Achilles tendon after he returned to the Olympic village on Monday, according to Liu’s Web site, which had no further details.
In the interview, Liu signaled he feared doing more damage to his damaged tendon, but vowed he would return to competition.
“I know I have the ability, once my foot recovered,” Liu said, according to a translation of the interview by The Associated Press.
“Now the most important thing is to heal my injury. I still have a chance next year, after all I’m still at the peak. I must be optimistic, and I shouldn’t blame everyone and everything but not myself. I will not easily give up.”
Vice President Xi Jinping, the most-senior Communist Party leader overseeing the games, sent a message to the General Administration of Sport on Monday expressing sympathy and encouragement for Liu.
Xi is widely viewed as the heir to President Hu Jintao.
The country’s leaders are paying attention to Liu’s injury, and hope he is able to quickly return to health, said the message, which was printed on the front page of the People’s Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party, as well as other papers.
“We all understand that Liu quit the race due to injury,” Xi said.
“We hope he will relax and focus on recovery. We hope that after he recovers, he will continue to train hard and struggle harder for the national glory.”
Liu’s sponsors also signaled full support for their star athlete, taking out full-page ads in English- and Chinese-language papers and running spots on television.
“Love the glory. Love the pain. Love sport even when it breaks your heart,” said part of one Nike ad, over a photo portrait of a clear-eyed, unsmiling Liu looking directly into the camera lens.
Martial arts movie star Jackie Chan also expressed his support, writing on his Web site that he had worried before the games about the tremendous pressure on Liu because “he’s China’s young hero and the hopes of the people rest on his shoulders.”
“As I watched this terrible turn of events on my television, I was tremendously shocked and saddened,” wrote Chan, the Hong Kong-born action star who is in Beijing for the games.
“My heart went out to Liu Xiang for his disappointment. I hope he will feel everyone’s love and support during this difficult time.”
Liu Xiang’s dramatic withdrawal stuns the Bird’s Nest
THE biggest roar of the Beijing Olympics froze in the throats of 91,000 people in the National Stadium yesterday when Liu Xiang, China’s main hope for athletics gold, pulled up injured and withdrew from the 110m hurdles.
Liu Xiang has shouldered massive expectations since becoming China’s first male Olympic track champion four years ago and his duel with new world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba was expected to be one of the highlights of the Games.
But he came into the Games struggling with a long-standing Achilles injury and a hamstring strain, and felt more pain while warming up in the morning.
Sun Haiping (right), coach of Liu Xiang, cries as he leaves a news conference at the National Stadium Monday. - Reuters
When he left the blocks in the last of yesterday’s heats, which was signalled a false start, he pulled up limping.
To the intense disappointment of the crowd and millions of TV-watching Chinese, he limped away into the bowels of a stadium, which was supposed to be his to rule.
Double Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell of the United States also pulled up with a hamstring injury, seemingly clearing the path to gold for Robles in Thursday’s final.
Liu Xiang’s coach for 12 years, Sun Haiping, broke down and wept in an emotional news conference, which even left Chinese journalists in tears.
“The problem today is his foot, it’s not clear exactly when it began but it is six or seven-years-old. It was there before the 2004 Athens Games and it has been coming and going,” Haiping said.
“It’s the end of the Achilles tendon in his right foot. I’m afraid he won’t be able to compete before the end of the year … he can barely walk. He was in tears, he’s very depressed.”
Feng Shuyong, the head coach of the Chinese athletics team said: “Liu Xiang would not have withdrawn unless the pain was intolerable and there was no other way out.
“Until last Saturday, he was in good shape. We did all we could. I think all the Chinese people will understand this situation and will encourage him to come back to the track.”
“This morning he felt the pain intensify. Even though he felt the pain he decided to compete in the first heat.”
Liu Xiang’s stunningly anti-climatic departure left the stadium in gloom after what had been a lively morning of qualifying, which included Usain Bolt’s return to the track two days after his world record victory in the 100m to begin his bid for the cherished sprint double by easing through the opening heats of the 200m. – Reuters
Lee Chong Wei Lost To Lin Dan again! Sigh. Was very disappointed. From the start, Lee Chong Wei already showed that he was over power by China Lin Dan and the China crowd. Always shouting “Lin Dan Jia You - 林丹加油”… I think Lee Chong Wei wanted to hear Malaysia Boleh but … Lee Chong Wei too nervous and stressed out. Nothing that we could do, Lee Chong Wei only managed to win silver medal in the badminton men’s singles after losing in the final to China’s Lin Dan 12-21, 8-2.
He could not keep his steps and skills and was over power and fully in control by Lin Dan. He could not break Lin Dan speed and skills. Work harder Mr. Lee.
Anyway still proud and congrats to Lee Chong Wei. RM300,000.00 in his pocket d. All the best and keep your training and trash Lin Dan in the next meet. Go LCW!
Silver medal for Chong Wei
BEIJING: Lee Chong Wei won the silver medal in the badminton men’s singles after losing in the final to China’s Lin Dan 12-21, 8-21.
The world No 2 lost in two straight sets, faltering to Lin Dan, who remains the top men’s singles shuttler in the world.
In previous clashes between the two, Lin Dan had won nine times while Chong Wei had won five times.
The last time a Malaysian shuttler won a medal at the Olympics was in Atlanta in 1996 when Rashid Sidek took the bronze in the men’s singles and Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock won the silver for the men’s doubles.
Rashid’s brothers Razif and Jailani won Malaysia’s first Olympic medal in Barcelona, Spain, in 1992 when they won a bronze in the men’s doubles.
Chong Wei got to the final by beating South Korean Lee Hyun-il, 21-18, 13-21, 21-13, while Lin Dan defeated fellow countryman Chen Jin in the semi-final, 21-12 , 21-18.
Despite failing to get the gold medal, Chong Wei is set to obtain RM300,000 from the Government for winning the silver medal. The Government had promised RM1mil as an incentive to any athlete who returns with an Olympic gold medal; RM300,000 for silver and RM100,000 for bronze.
Chong Wei offers no excuse after tame loss to Lin Dan
The expectations of the whole nation to bring back Malaysia’s first-ever Olympic gold medal proved to be too heavy a burden for Lee Chong Wei.
He failed to bring out his best and blew the chance to win the RM1mil reward for gold – suffering a 12-21, 8-21 thrashing by top seed Lin Dan of China in the men’s singles final at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium last night.
Chong Wei was erratic on court. He made half-court returns and the strong net-play performance he showed in earlier rounds was missing from his game.
Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei striking a pensive mood with the silver medal around his neck after the men’s single badminton final against Lin Dan of China. - Kamarul Ariffin/The Star
Lin Dan pulled away from 8-3 to 16-8 and wrapped up the first game in 20 minutes. The two-time world champion’s confidence grew as he took control in the second game and was already up 8-0 before Chong Wei picked up his first point.
The slouched shoulders and grim look were telling as Chong Wei eventually conceded defeat in 19 minutes.
Despite the tame loss, Chong Wei will receive RM300,000 from the government for securing the silver medal. He will also enjoy a reward of RM3,000 monthly under the Olympic incentive scheme and it will take effect from next month.
The Olympic silver medal from Chong Wei is still the first for Malaysia in 12 years.
The pressure was on Lin Dan to ensure China match their three-gold haul from the 2004 Athens Games.
And he let out a giant scream of delight after securing the winning point while Chong Wei was left pondering on what might have been.
“I tried to follow his speed at the start but he was in total control. My heart wanted to take him on but I just could not bring it out,” said the second seeded Malaysian.
On what coach Misbun Sidek told him before the start of the second game, Chong Wei said: “He told me to play a faster game but I could not follow. But there’s no excuse for losing. This is my worst defeat by him.”
On whether he would still aim to play in the 2012 London Olympics, Chong Wei said: “I will have to wait and see first after the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.”
Lin Dan, who became the first men’s singles player to win the Olympic title as the top seed, said he had sleepless nights thinking about delivering the gold for China.
“I concentrated hard on trying to play a stable game each time. I am glad I was able to do it here,” he said.
Although Chong Wei lost, Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Salleh hoped that his success to make the final would inspire younger players.
“Although he did not win, I am happy that Chong Wei has made it to such a level. We will try again in London Olympics in four years’ time but the important thing is we have to start planning now. We have to bring in our juniors into the national set-up,” he said.
(BEIJING, August 17) — Men’s Singles World No. 1 Lin Dan of China thrashed Malaysia’s World No. 2 Lee Chong-wei 21-12, 21-8 to win the gold in the Beijing Olympic Badminton tournament on Sunday, August 17.
The anticipated heart-pounding dream final turned out to be a frustrating exit for Lee, who was bidding for Malaysia’s first Olympic gold.
“I suffered a lot of pressure tonight but I do not want to use it as an excuse for my defeat,” he said.
Maybe it was the pressure that made a normally sharp Lee lose his edge on court and essentially provide no match for Super Dan’s quickly-adapted strategies and crosscourt smashes.
In the first game Lin raced into a 7-1 lead. Eager to close the gap, Lee made too many unforced errors, enabling the World No. 1 to stretch his winning margin to 16-8 before closing out the game 21-12.
Lin continued to attack Lee in the second game, opening up an 8-0 lead and forcing his opponent to chase shuttles to all four corners of the court before killing rallies off with his smash. As the game progressed, Lee simply had no answers to Lin’s speed and the Chinese left-hander closed out the match in just 41 minutes.
“I have tried my best but Lin Dan played perfectly tonight,” said Malaysian sport icon Lee. “I couldn’t match his shuttle speed. He was much stronger than me and controlled the whole match.”
“At the end of the match it is not who is playing at a higher level, it is all about who is mentally stronger,” Lee commented on his loss.
“I felt a lot of pressure playing in front of my home crowd,” said an exhilarated Lin. “I thought it would be difficult to play the match and the pressure of the crowd might even be to my disadvantage, but I played well.
It’s gonna be an interesting match between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan. It’s gonna be war between them. Will Lee Chong Wei able to take down Lin Dan and get home with RM1 Million?
I really hope Lee Chong Wei able to make it despite all the stress and under pressure by all the China supporters?
Lin Dan is famous for his powerful smash and Lee Chong Wei is famous for this skills. Lin Dan is world number where else Lee Chong Wei is world number two. So it will be World No.1 vs World No.2! It’s going to be a tight match.
Lin Dan vs Chen Jin in semi and Lee Chong Wei vs Lee Hyunil in semi. Lee Chong Wei was exhausted in this match because he played for 3 matches and Lin Dan just play for two matches. Lin Dan won easily because his opponent is from China too. Will it be also another fake incident where Chen Jin was instructed by their coach? So that Lin Dan can preserve his strength and power to fight against Lee Chong Wei. Is this sportsmanship and fairness?
Chong Wei sets up title clash against Lin Dan
LEE Chong Wei made history when he became the first Malaysian badminton singles player to reach an Olympic final at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium last night.
The 26-year-old made sure Malaysia will return home with at least a silver medal after barren outings at the last two Olympics by battling past South Korean Lee Hyun-il 21-18, 13-21, 21-13 in the semi-finals.
Chong Wei has now bettered Rashid Sidek’s bronze medal achievement at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
Victory leap Lee Chong Wei jumping towards his coach Misbun Sidek after beating South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il in the Beijing Olympics badminton men’s singles semi-final to assure himself of at least a silver medal in the Games.
The men’s doubles pair of Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock also delivered a silver medal for Malaysia that year but tomorrow, Chong Wei has a chance to go one step better when he takes on top seed Lin Dan of China, who beat compatriot Chen Jin 21-12, 21-18.
But that mouth-watering finale almost didn’t happened as Hyun-il gave the Malaysian some anxious moments.
Chong Wei gained early control but Hyun-il caught up to 18-20.
But the Malaysian earned victory when his rival lobbed the shuttle wide.
Hyun-il, winner of the Korean and German Opens this year, turned on the power in the second game when he won 11 points in a row to eventually force the match into the rubber game.
In the decided, Chong Wei led 8-1 before the tenacious Korean clawed his way back to 11-15.
But Chong Wei, spurred on by shouts of Malaysia Boleh from the pockets of Malaysian supporters, regained the big lead again.
At 19-11, Chong Wei knew he was on the brink of a famous and historic win.
And when he did get the winning point, Chong Wei collapsed to the ground in sheer joy and relief.
He then got up, ran over and jumped onto his coach Misbun Sidek’s arms.
“The huge pressure is off me! I have made sure of winning at least an Olympic medal. I dedicate this to my coach, who gave everything to prepare me for these Games,” said Chong Wei, who only reached the second round in his Olympic debut in Athens four years ago.
“I knew Hyun-il would not be an easy opponent because he has beaten the top players before. But I pulled it off.”
On losing second game, Chong Wei said he just could not keep up with his opponent.
“He played at a very fast pace and I could not follow him. I made mistakes and I just prepared myself for the final game,” said Chong Wei, who now has a shot at the RM1mil incentive that has been promised by the government for any athlete who returns with an Olympic gold medal.
But more than that, it is his chance to gain Malaysian sporting immortality and bag what many athletes can only dream of.
The partisan crowd will be on Lin Dan’s side tomorrow but one thing is for sure, Malaysians can expect Chong Wei to go all out to bring home Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal.
Lee Chong Wei (Simplified Chinese: 李宗伟) (born October 21, 1982) is a professional badminton player from Malaysia. He was born in Parit Buntar, Perak and later moved to Bukit Mertajam, Penang. He received his early education at Jit Sin Primary School (B) and continued his secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Berapit. He was admitted to Bukit Jalil Sports School then to complete his Form 4 and Form 5 studies.
Wong Mew Choo, a Malaysian badminton player, is his girlfriend.
Lee Chong Wei’s Interview and History
Lin Dan (simplified Chinese: 林丹; pinyin: Lin Dan) (born October 14, 1983) is a men’s singles badminton player from Fujian, the People’s Republic of China. Lin is currently the most dominant singles player on the world stage. He has been ranked number one in the world almost continuously since 2004, winning many of the world’s top tournaments. In October 2006, Lin Dan regained his ranking as #1 in the world, after a short period of being ranked behind Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.
Lin Dan’s Interview and History
Pervious encounter between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan
Malaysia - Lee Chong Wei vs China - Lin Dan in Beijing Olympic Badminton Final, 8:48pm, 17th August, Sunday
Watch Live Score of Lee Chong Wei vs Lin Dan Badminton Finalshere Watch Live Streaming of Lee Chong Wei vs Lin Dan Badminton Finals @ ppstream.com or pplive.com
Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia) bt Lee Hyunil (Korea). Lee Chong Wei won in Men’s Singles Semifinal 2!
Malaysia Lee Chong Wei did it again! Malaysia Boleh!
Lee Chong Wei hugging coach Misbun Sidek
Lee Hyunil improvement very fast, he got the skill and tactics but Lee Chong Wei is even better! Haha. Congrats Lee Chong Wei, revenge for your girl friend, Wong Mew Choo.
Lee Chong Wei, 26-year-old Penangite, now stands to pocket at least RM300,000 as an incentive from the Govvernment. Wow RM 300,000.00! That’s a lot. If he win the gold medal, he will be millionaire! RM1,000,000.00 Wow! RM1Mil is not easy to get. Lee Chong Wei become instant millionaire! I think I work for whole life till 60 years old still cannot get this amount! Everyone in Malaysia is talking about it, get motivated LCW, go for the RM1m.
BEIJING: Lee Chong Wei has secured at least a silver medal for Malaysia in the Beijing Olympics.
The national one shuttler and second seed for the men’s singles event for the Beijing Olympics defeated South Korean Lee Hyun-il 21-18, 13-21, 21-13 in the semi-finals Friday at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium Friday.
By booking his place in the final, which will be played on Sunday, the 26-year-old Penangite now stands to pocket at least RM300,000 as an incentive from the Govvernment.
If he goes on and manages to win Malaysia’s first ever Olympic gold, Chong Wei will pocket a whopping RM1mil.
Before the last four clash here, the record between the two players was even for this year.
Chong Wei beat Lee in the Malaysian Open final in three games.
When they next clashed in the Korean Open, Lee whipped Chong Wei in the second round and went on to beat Lin Dan in a three-game thriller for the title.
Chong Wei is the only Malaysian shuttler still in the fray in Bejing. The other Malaysians all failed to shine here.
Veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah lost in the men’s doubles first round to second ranked Koreans Lee Jae-jin-Hwang Ji-man.
Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong lost in the last eight to Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.
Wong Mew Choo lost in the quater-finals of the women’s singles event 7-21, 27-29 China’s Lu Lan.
Wong Choon Hann lost to Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-hsing 17-21,18-21 in the third round.
Lee Chong Wei (MalaysiaMAS) bt KUNCORO Sony Dwi (IndonesiaINA). Lee Chong Wei won in Men’s Singles Quarterfinal 4!
Malaysia’s Lee thru to semifinals in badminton
BEIJING (AP): Lee Chong Wei kept Malaysia’s best hope for an Olympic gold medal alive Thursday with a straight-sets win over Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia in the quarterfinals of men’s singles at the Olympic badminton tournament.
Lee, who is second-seeded, cruised to a 21-9, 21-11 win over Kuncoro to set up a semifinal showdown on Friday with either third-seeded Bao Chunlai of China or Lee Hyun-il of South Korea.
“Sony didn’t play very well today,” Lee said. “Maybe he was nervous. I’ve played him before and I know he can play better than that.”
Lee’s powerful smashes and accurate drop shots were too much for the sixth-seeded Kuncoro.
Lee is bidding to win Malaysia’s first gold medal in the Olympics. His girlfriend, Wong Mew Choo, lost in the quarterfinals of the women’s singles on Wednesday, but was in the stands Thursday to watch Lee’s match.
To win Malaysia’s first gold of the Olympics, Lee will likely have to defeat Lin Dan of China. The top-seeded player in men’s singles faces Peter Gade of Denmark later Thursday and has looked strong so far.
“Lin is in very good form,” Lee said. “But I’m not thinking ahead. Right now, I’m just focusing on the semifinals.”
Lee has beaten Lin twice recently - at the Thomas Cup team competition in Jakarta in May and at the 2007 Japan Open.
Lee was knocked out in the last 16 at Athens four years ago.
In an earlier match, fourth-seeded Chen Jin of China downed Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-hsing 21-8, 21-14 to advance to the semis where he will face the winner of the match between Lin and Gade.
In mixed doubles, the top-seeded pair of Liliyana Natsir and Nova Widianto of Indonesia defeated Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam 21-13, 21-19 to advance to the semifinals.
China’s He Hanbin and Yu Yang defeated Poland’s Nadiezda Kostiuczyk and Robert Mateusiak 22-20, 23-21 to also advance.
It was a fast match for Lee Chong Wei, it only took 34mins in two straight games. I guess Lee Chong Wei want to revenge after all the Malaysian players sent off from Olympic game. Now hoping Lee Chong Wei will enter to the final and get a Gold Medal in Olympic for Malaysia and get the RM1Million!
Malaysia Boleh! Lee Chong Wei Boleh!
Let’s pray that he will keep his top notch performance till the final and get a Gold!
THE Malaysian challenge for an Olympic medal from badminton has been whittled down to just one contender following the exits of Wong Mew Choo and the men’s pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium last night.
And Lee Chong Wei will shoulder the responsibility of keeping the Malaysian hopes alive when he takes on Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro today for a place in the men’s singles semi-finals.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong were beaten 16-21, 18-21 by Indonesian world champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan in the quarter-finals.
Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat (right) and Tan Boon Heong in action during their loss to Indonesia’s Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The Malaysian duo had showed solid form in their opening match win over Japan’s Shuichi Sakamoto-Shintaro Ikeda on Tuesday.
But they lacked the aggression needed to beat the top seeded Markis-Hendra.
The Indonesians were solid in defence and led all the way to take the first game 21-16.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong offered a bit of resistance when they led briefly at 14-11 in the second game but had no answers when the Indonesians turned on the style.
Markis-Hendra regained the lead at 18-17 and never looked back to win the match.
It was the first time in six meetings that Kien Keat-Boon Heong lost to the Indonesian pair.
Kien Keat conceded that the Indonesians were outstanding in defence and it was hard to break their rhythm.
“They have become familiar with how we play since we beat them in the 2006 Doha Asian Games. They know our weak points. We could not get our game going even we tried to come back,” he said.
Boon Heong offered no excuses for the defeat and said: “The Indonesians controlled well but we also did not play our best game tonight.”
Hendra said that they knew the Malaysian pair would be difficult to beat and it was a matter of them going in for the kill first.
“We have to start attacking. We were also under no pressure because we have not beaten them before. That helped us a lot. Now, we have a chance to win the gold and we will go all out to get it,” he said.
Markis-Hendra, who have the chance to follow in the footsteps of fellow Indonesians Rexy Mainaky-Ricky Subagja (Atlanta 1996) and Candra Wijaya-Tony Gunawan (Sydney 2000), will play against Danish veterans Jonas Rasmussen-Lars Paaske for a place in the final.
The Danes, who sent the top Korean pair of Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung packing in the first round, came from behind to beat Poland’s Michal Logosz-Robert Mateusiak 17-21, 21-11, 21-15 in the quarter-finals.
China’s golden hope Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun advanced to the semi-finals with an easy 21-9, 21-10 win over Americans Howard Bach-Bob Malaythong.
The second seeded Chinese pair will be up against Jae-jin-Ji-man, who beat Tadashi Ohtsuka-Keita Masuda of Japan 21-12, 18-21, 21-9.
Koo Kien Kiat / Tan Boon Heong (Malaysia) Lost to Markis Kido / Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia) two straight games in Badminton Men’s Doubles Quarterfinal 1 , Beijing Olympic. Indonesia won!
Game over for Koo Kien Kiat and Tan Boon Heong
Malaysian performance is this 2008 Beijing Olympic Badminton is not as good as what the rest of the world think. I think Koo Kien Kiat and Tan Boon Heong today played badly. Their understanding between each other does not exist and they keep on fighting for the shuttle and let the opponent have the chance to kill them. Running and positioning is very important and I think the Malaysian have to work harder on that.
KKK and TBH did not attack much in these 2 games but the opponent keep on attacking because the Malaysian keep giving chance to them. KKK and TBH made a lot of mistake and mistake during serving too. Very sad and disappointed over the performance and result.
It’s sad that now we only left Lee Chong Wei in the run of getting a medal in Beijing Olympic. Hopefully Lee Chong Wei able to make it tomorrow 14 August, 11.30am, Channel 821 on Astro Super Sport, Stadium Astro.
WONG Mew Choo had only herself to blame for letting slip the chance to get into the medals playoff of the women’s singles badminton competition at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium last night.
She held a total of nine game points in the second game of her quarter-final match against Lu Lan but was unable to force the Chinese third seed to a rubber game and lost the match 7-21, 27-29.
Mew Choo, who was the first Malaysian woman to qualify for an Olympic quarter-final, had no answer to the Lu Lan’s aggression in the first game and conceded defeat in 14 minutes.
Wong Mew Choo takes a tumble during her quarter-final match against China’s Lu Lan on Wednesday. Mew Choo lost 7-21, 27-29.
But it was a different Mew Choo as she forced herself back in contention in the next game.
She caught up with Lu Lan at 8-8 and held game point at 20-15. But she could not close the game, allowing her rival to win five straight points to force deuce.
The battle continued but it was not to be Mew Choo’s night. She bowed out in straight games and there will be an all-China semi-final between Lu Lan and top seed Xie Xingfang, who beat Xu Huaiwen of Germany 21-19, 22-20.
The other semi-final is between defending champion Zhang Ning of China and Indonesian Maria Kristin Yulianti.
Zhang Ning slogged for 66 minutes to beat Pi Hongyan of France 21-8, 19-21, 21-19 while Maria, who ousted Danish contender Tine Rasmussen in the early round, chalked up a 26-28, 21-14, 21-15 win over India’s Saina Nehwal.
Mew Choo rued her missed chances in the crucial moments (leading 20-15).
“I was not certain where to place the shuttle at that time. My heart was in the game but my arms could not respond. Lu Lan caught up and gained confidence. I tried but could not nail that one point,” said the eighth seeded Mew Choo, who was featuring in her first Olympics.
“It’s disappointing but I am satisfied with my outing in Beijing. My objective was to reach the quarter-finals and I did it.”
Source : TheStar
Wong Mew Choo Lost to Lu Lan in Badminton Women’s Singles Quarterfinal 2, Beijing Olympic. Lu Lan won!
Malaysian Wong Mew Choo’s Beijing Olympics’ dream came to an end.
The national number one women’s singles shuttler lost 7-12, 25-27 in the quarter-finals to third seeded Lu Lan from China.
It was a sad end to Mew Choo’s run in Beijing although she had already made history by becoming the first Malaysian woman’s singles to qualify for the Olympics.
When I watching the second match, nearly heart attack. But what a waste for Wong Mew Choo, I was hoping can see for another match by both of the players. Really nice game.
More updates on Koo Kian Keat / Tan Boon Heong Men’s Doubles Quarterfinal 1 and Lee Chong Wei Men’s Singles Quarterfinal 4 later. Hopefully this time Malaysian can make it. Malaysia Boleh.
View Olympic Badminton live score of their matches here.
Again there’s another fake incident after the fake fireworks display in the Beijing Olympic Opening… Girl Lip Synching
What do you think? Would you mind for a superb but not all real and solid for the Olympic Opening?
Unsung hero: Beijing first-grader was the voice but not the face of the Olympic opening song
By CARA ANNA Associated Press Writer
BEIJING August 12, 2008 (AP)
One little girl had the looks. The other had the voice.
(AP Photo/ABC)
More PhotosSo in a last-minute move demanded by one of China’s highest officials, the two were put together for the Olympic opening ceremony, with one lip-synching “Ode to the Motherland” over the other’s singing.
The real singer, 7-year-old Yang Peiyi, with her chubby face and crooked baby teeth, wasn’t good looking enough for the ceremony, its chief music director told state-owned Beijing Radio.
So the pigtailed Lin Miaoke, a veteran of television ads, mouthed the words with a pixie smile for a stadium of 91,000 and a worldwide TV audience. “I felt so beautiful in my red dress,” the tiny 9-year-old told the China Daily newspaper.
Peiyi later told China Central Television that just having her voice used was an honor.
It was the latest example of the lengths the image-obsessed China is taking to create a perfect Summer Games.
In a brief phone interview with AP Television News on Tuesday night, the music director, Chen Qigang, said he spoke about the switch with Beijing Radio “to come out with the truth.”
“The little girl is a magnificent singer,” Chen said. “She doesn’t deserve to be hidden.” He said the ceremony’s director, film director Zhang Yimou, knew of the change. He declined to speak further about it.
China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics face to the world, shooing thousands of migrant workers from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.
The country’s quest for perfection apparently includes its children.
A member of China’s Politburo asked for the last-minute change during a live rehearsal shortly before the ceremony, Chen said in the Beijing Radio interview, posted online Sunday night. He didn’t name the official.
During the live rehearsal, the Politburo member said Miaoke’s voice “must change,” Chen said.
“We had to make that choice. It was fair both for Lin Miaoke and Yang Peiyi,” Chen told Beijing Radio. “We combined the perfect voice and the perfect performance.”
Yang Peiyi (L) had the perfect voice, but Lin Miaoke had the perfect face
A pretty girl who won national fame after singing at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games was only miming.
Wearing a red dress and pigtails, Lin Miaoke charmed a worldwide audience with a rendition of “Ode to the Motherland”.
But the singer was Yang Peiyi, who was not allowed to appear because she is not as “flawless” as nine-year-old Lin.
The show’s musical director said Lin was used because it was in the best interests of the country.
The revelation follows news that a fireworks display used during the opening ceremony was apparently faked.
‘Smiling angel’
Speaking on Beijing Radio station, musical director Chen Qigang said the organisers needed a girl with both a good image and a good voice.
They faced a dilemma because although Lin was prettier, seven-year-old Yang had the better voice, Mr Chen said.
“After several tests, we decided to put Lin Miaoke on the live picture, while using Yang Peiyi’s voice,” he told the radio station.
“The reason for this is that we must put our country’s interest first,” he added.
“The girl appearing on the picture must be flawless in terms of her facial expression and the great feeling she can give to people.”
Singer Lin, who is being called the “smiling angel”, has already become a media celebrity because of her performance.
She told state-run China Daily that she felt “beautiful” in the red dress she wore during the performance.
Her dad told the newspaper that she already had fans all over the country.
According to Chinese news reports, Yang said she did not regret the decision, saying she was satisfied to have had her voice featured in the opening ceremony.
This is the second “fake” story about the opening ceremony
Viewers around the world saw a display in which 29 firework “footprints” travelled across Beijing from south to north.
But a senior official from the Beijing organising committee (Bocog) confirmed on Tuesday that footage of the display had been produced before the big night.
This was provided to broadcasters for “convenience and theatrical effects”, according to Wang Wei, Bocog’s executive vice-president.
“Because of poor visibility, some previously recorded footage may have been used,” he told a daily press conference.
Some aerial footage of fireworks digitally created months in advance
The Beijing Times reported that part of the elaborate Olympic opening ceremonies display broadcast to the world were actually done digitally in 3-D computer graphics.
MSNBC
updated 1:16 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2008
Part of the elaborate Olympics fireworks show broadcast to the world in the opening ceremony was altered, done digitally in 3-D computer graphics, according to several news reports.
While the dramatic display actually happened as portrayed on television, members of the Beijing Olympic Committee said it was necessary to replace live video with computer-generated imagery because the city’s hazy, smoggy skies made it too difficult to see, according to The Beijing Times, which first reported the story.
Committee members also said they were concerned that the helicopter pilot who would have flown overhead to film the fireworks would have been “at risk by making him try to follow the firework route,” according to a quote from a committee member reported in a Daily Telegraph story.
NBC broadcasters Matt Lauer and Bob Costas made mention of the alteration as it aired.
“You’re looking at a cinematic device employed by Zhang Yimou here,” Lauer said. “This is actually almost animation. A footstep a second, 29 in all, to signify the 29 Olympiads.”
Costas responded, “We said earlier that aspects of this Opening Ceremony are almost like cinema in real time. Well this is quite literally cinematic.”
It took planners almost a year to create the 55-second sequence which appeared to be more than two dozen footprints amidst fireworks in the sky, said Gao Xiaolong, head of the visual effects team for the ceremony, in the Daily Telegraph story.
Even those at the city’s new Bird’s Nest National Stadium, where the Olympics are being held, viewed the computer-generated footage from their seats as they watched on the stadium’s giant television screens, said Britain’s Sky News in a story.
“Stunned viewers thought they were watching the string of fireworks filmed from above by a helicopter,” said SkyNews.com. “But in reality they were watching a 3-D graphics sequence that took almost a year to produce.”
There were some real fireworks going on outside the stadium. But the footprint display was “inserted into the coverage electronically at exactly the right moment,” the Daily Telegraph said.
“Meticulous efforts were made to ensure the sequence was as unnoticeable as possible,” the newspaper reported Xiaolong as saying. “They sought advice from the Beijing meteorological office as to how to recreate the hazy effects of Beijing’s smog at night, and inserted a slight camera shake effect to simulate the idea that it was filmed from a helicopter.”
“Seeing how it worked out, it was still a bit too bright compared to the actual fireworks,” Xiaolong said in comments that appeared in the Daily Telegraph. “But most of the audience thought it was filmed live — so that was mission accomplished.”
Because the only organization in control of all Olympics footage is Beijing Olympic Broadcasting, the feed went out to everyone broadcasting the event, including NBC, which has exclusive rights in the United States to show the games. NBC’s online coverage is being delivered by the MSN Network, NBCOlympics.com on MSN. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)
During Friday night’s opening ceremony, the network averaged 34.2 million viewers, making it the biggest television event since the Super Bowl, according to the Associated Press.
The network has been criticized itself for the 12-hour tape delay in showing the opening ceremonies, which it did because of the time difference between China and the United States, driving some viewers to other Web sites around the world to see the event live.
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