China endures worst performance at badminton World Championships since 1983 debut

China’s once-mighty badminton team returned home after their worst performance at the world championships, with alarm bells ringing less than a year away from the start of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Defending mixed doubles champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong won the only gold medal, no other mainlander even reaching a final in the week-long tournament in Basel, Switzerland.

The last time China won only one gold medal at the worlds was in 1993 and 1995, but on both occasions they still had another silver to boost their haul. This time, they captured only four more bronze (there were no third-place play-offs, both losing semi-finalists being awarded bronze).

China Badminton Association chairman Zhang Jun, who took up the post early this year, apologised for the dismal results. “We failed to live to the expectations of the fans,” said Zhang, an Olympic mixed doubles champion at the 2000 and 2004 Games. “Other nations are improving fast and although our players worked very hard in Basel, there are still many problems.

“The tournament is over and none of us is happy with the results as we have to go home and sort out how to close the gap against other nations ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.”

The most embarrassing result came in the men’s singles where China featured reigning Olympic champion Chen Long and Lin Dan, the previous two Games’ champion and the most successful player at the worlds with five golds to his credit. Neither reached the medal podium.