Lin Dan refuses to rule out Olympic badminton record despite another dismal performance
- Two-time Olympic champion is no match for Japan’s top seed Kento Momota in front of home fans at China Open
- Lin’s world ranking drops to 19th, far behind countrymen and Olympic rivals Chen Long and Shi Yuqi
Two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan insisted he would continue to pursue 2020 Olympic qualification despite another dismal performance, this time in front of the home crowds.
Lin was no match for Japan’s Kento Momota, the world No 1 and hot favourite for next year’s Tokyo Olympics gold, with the home favourite crashing out in the opening round with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-14) defeat on Tuesday. The China Open in Changzhou is a Super 1000 tournament, which is the highest level on the world tour,
At last month’s World Championships in Basel, Lin, who turns 36 next month, suffered his earliest exit in 12 appearances when he was beaten by little-known HS Prannoy, of India, in the second round.
His world ranking has also dropped to 19th, far behind his countrymen Shi Yuqi and Chen Long, who are third and fifth respectively. A country can send a maximum two players in the men’s singles to the 2020 Games provided they are both in the top 16 when the qualification process ends in April.
Despite facing a seemingly unreachable goal, Lin, who won back-to-back gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Games, has no plans to stop chasing a record fifth Olympic appearance in Tokyo.
Lin made his Olympic debut at the 2004 Athens Games and finished fourth in the Rio Olympics after losing to Viktor Axelsen, of Denmark, in the bronze medal play-off.