If you have been eagerly watching our best hope for a gold medal win in Olympics (like me) on national TV just awhile back, I am sure you are equally as disappointed to note that our Lee Chong Wei lost miserably to (or get thrashed by depending how you want to see it) Lin Dan in two straight sets, 21-12 and 21-8.
Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/badminton/n214556389.shtmlSigh...we have to settle for another silver, a feat in itself of course, but it is disappointing to see how easily Lin Dan won.
I guess my hope of actually seeing Malaysia's flag being raised and hearing Negaraku being played in this Olympics game will have to wait for another 4 years (or maybe not since I heard the Olympics Council is contemplating removing badminton from Olympics citing Asians dominance).
Meanwhile, right before the start of the Lin Dan - Lee Chong Wei show down, I was watching the finals of women's table tennis gold medal match where (surprise, surprise) Singapore was competing with China. I was shocked as I always thought table tennis is the domain of China, South Korea and perhaps, Japan but Singapore?
Well, when I read the names of the team members (Feng Tianwei, Li Jia Wei, Wang Yue Gu and Sun Bei Bei) and looked at their faces, I realised why. Read here.
Well, one thing is for sure, at least we didn't import our way to settle for a silver.
Btw, China's dominance of the gold medals thus far is quite a shocking turn of event (35 as of now versus 19 won by their closest rival, USA). Is the rise in China's gold medal standing a sign of times? Where will small countries like Malaysia stand in the grand scheme of things? Are we reduced to only settle for silver, bronze or maybe none but mere spectators while China grabs the golds? Or should we be like Singapore, importing talents in hope for a chance to secure a piece of gold medal?
6 comments:
"importing talents in hope for a chance to secure a piece of gold medal?"
tats disgusting
but u gotta admire how sg being so supportive of 'their' sgporean athelete
when they get into the semifinal, tat makes it to their front page congrate them to bcome the top 5
when they get into the final, they got not oni the front page but last page center page as well congrate them on their way to bcome the champion!
a lar...when they lose in the final, the tv takes like an hour to report how successful they r
now compare tat wif wat lcw get..a boo by his fellow countrymen...neber mind lar....as long he got the millions like zewt guess
Well, at least they acknowledge that they are weak in sport and trying to pump up the talent & standard across. Not like us still fighting about the skin color, if you know what I mean...
i think we should never import. but no matter what, i dont think our nation will ever reach a level capable of challenging for gold, not unless squash is an olympic event.
as for our badminton hero... hmmmm....
Dear
anon @ 11:54 am: Well, when the govt pays so much just to get a silver, I am sure they felt compelled to explain to the public why it costs them so much.
I am sure zewt is just as disappointed as the next person.
anon @ 7:31 pm: I am not too sure about admitting part but seeing how they take Indo badminton players and Chinese table tennis players, it makes me wonder how will Singaporeans feel a sense of belonging when their own is not up to mark?
zewt: it sucks isn't it? i hate to see how we are losing at every possible angle and we are still daydreaming about some glorious malaccan past where our port then were bigger than europe's....
anon @ 7:31 pm: I am not too sure about admitting part but seeing how they take Indo badminton players and Chinese table tennis players, it makes me wonder how will Singaporeans feel a sense of belonging when their own is not up to mark?
See.. they need someone to get the ball rolling, hence importing is the way to bring in the foreign talent. If you follow with their development, they actually build a sport school so the talented kids can start their training while balance with their academic from young.
What's important is the next generation which all graduate from the sport school .....
As usual, our government failed to do their planning.
Dear anon @ 9:21 am,
With their overall teaching program, rot learning and kiasu mentality, I am not sure if Singaporeans are willing to bet their children for some unknown chances in some games requiring extreme mental and physical exertion.
Afterall, if it is simpler and easier to import, doesn't it makes sense to continue while they devote their country's resources on their competitive advantages?
But then again, that's probably my own perception la...
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