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Name: Zhang Jiewen 
Date of Birth: January 4, 1981 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province 

Entry for Beijing Games: badminton, women's doubles 

Career highlights: Gold medal, women's doubles, 2004 Athens (with Yang Wei); Winner, women's doubles, 2005 world championships

Zhang Jiewen boasts a cabinet-load of major titles - and one of the best-kept love affairs in the world of badminton.

She kept her four-year romance with Malaysian men's doubles specialist Choong Tan Fook under wraps until January, when Choong announced that they would retire and get married after the Olympics. Their relationship began at the 2004 Malaysian Open, when the pair won their respective events - and both are aiming to go out on a similar high note. 

Zhang, 27, has seldom spoken about her private life out of fear of a possible backlash from fans and officials if she suffered a dip in form. Even though badminton head coach Li Yongbo is relatively relaxed about off-the-court behaviour, it is said players are allowed to pursue romance only if their competition results remain good.

According to Choong, the couple 'kept this long-distance relationship going through calls and online chats', and it hasn't seemed to have distracted Zhang in the slightest. She enjoyed a stellar 2004, which culminated in an Olympic gold medal in women's doubles with Yang Wei.

In Athens it was an all-Chinese final - Wei Yili and Zhao Tingting were on the losing end - a continuation of China's dominance in the event that began with Ge Fei and Gu Jun in 1996 and 2000.

If anything, the stranglehold over the event has become even stronger over the past four years. Yu Yang and Du Jing top the rankings ahead of Zhang and Yang, while Wei Yili is paired with Zhang Yawen, and that pair hovers menacingly in third.

 The credit for the 12-year winning streak goes to coach Li, himself a multiple world champion in men's doubles in the late 1980s. The top three pairs now are under the direct tutelage of Li's former doubles partner Tian Bingyi, and it is said that from time to time Li and Tian pick up their racquets and put their young charges firmly in their place.

For Zhang Jiewen, as she turns her thoughts to life after badminton, bowing out with a gold medal would be the perfect wedding present.




No 24: Zhang Jiewen