Badminton stars old and new tip China to dominate court proceedings

WUHAN (CHN) - The Wuhan University Student Sports Center is abuzz with anticipation of China dominating the badminton courts as the knockout stages of the competition loom.

That anticipation is echoed by former world No.4 Boonsak PONSANA (THA), who, at 37 years of age, has come out of retirement to compete at Wuhan 2019.

"China is very, very strong. They can get all the gold medals in badminton," was the Thai player's assessment of the host nation after they won gold ahead of his own country in the men’s team event on Wednesday.

PONSANA decided to give doubles a shot here for practical reasons after 'retiring' from the sport three years ago.

"I cannot play singles any more because I'm too old. But doubles is OK for me because I can share some of my knowledge and experience," he said.

While PONSANA remembers his fourth-place finish at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, 19-year-old local boy LI Shifeng (CHN) is at the opposite end of his career, priming himself for a career at the very top.

LI won gold in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, and is being tipped as the successor to the countless badminton champions China has produced, including double-Olympic gold winner LIN Dan. 

"When I was young, LIN Dan (CHN) was my hero. Now, it’s Kento MOMOTA (JPN). He is the number one in the world after all," LI said, after a tense win over LIM Seungki in the men’s singles round of 16. "Although he is Japanese, from the perspective of badminton players, his mental quality and way of playing are worth learning."

LI has trained with Olympic champions like LIN as well as CHEN Long (CHN) at the renowned Bayi Badminton Club, and finds similarities between his training as a soldier and that of an elite athlete.

While PONSANA signed up with the Thai navy after retiring from the sport, LI’s initiation into elite-level badminton has been through the military.

"Obedience is the first duty of a soldier," he said. "Our Bayi badminton project is in line with the military's qualities. If you're requested to execute a tactic by the coach, whether it is wrong or right, you must obey.

"Playing badminton still requires tactics and a clear head."

(Source : Xinhua Info)