BEIJING, Aug 17:
The much-coveted Olympics gold eluded Malaysia's reach again after Lee Choong Wei was left clutching the silver from a sound thrashing by China's Lin Dan in the showdown for the badminton men's singles crown.
The entire nation was riveted on the match waiting to celebrate finally a gold but the 41-minute bout was such an anti-climax.
Chong Wei was outclassed by the reigning two-time world champion who was in superb control all the way and led from start to finish to wrap the gold medal for his first time at 21-12, 21-8.
Lin Dan is the first world champion to be crowned Olympic champion.
Chong Wei conceded that it was his easiest defeat ever to Lin Dan after more than a dozen meetings.
"I felt some pressure but that was not a factor. I lost and I have no excuses. Lin Dan played very well tonight," said the 26-year-old Chong Wei, who is the first Malaysian singles to enter the Olympics final.
"I could not match his speed and I could not get around him no matter how. Coach asked to me speed up the game but I just couldn't," he said when asked what instructions he got from coach Misbun Sidek during the break.
Chong Wei's second finishing raises Malaysia's Olympic medal tally to two silvers and two bronzes.
In 1992, brothers Razif and Jalani Sidek clinched a bronze. In 1996, Cheah Soon Kit and partner, Yap Kim Hock -- now national head coach, got a silver, and Rashid Sidek added a single's bronze.
Asked if he will stay on for a third Olympics, Chong Wei said he will look to the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou for now.
"Though we didn't win gold, national badminton has achieved the pinnacle at this prestigious games. We will try again at London Olympics," said Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh.
Lin Dan delighted the home crowd with his sharp smashes that sent Chong Wei diving to the left and right and he was preening with confidence from easily reeling off point after point to stretch the gap from 7-1 to 13-5 to reach game point in the first at 20-10.
In the second, Lin Dan whipped up an 8-0 lead before he sent a hasty backhand into the net to break the duck for Chong Wei but he never lost his domination one bit and cried as he hugged his coaches and saluted the crowds after the victory.
The only thing he lost tonight were his shoes which he threw joyfully to the home fans.
"It was the best match I have played in my career," said Lin Dan, adding that he was mentally prepared to be satisfied with a silver because his Malaysian rival was currently among the world's best.
His win marks the second time China lifted the men's singles crown after Ji Xinpeng in Sydney in 2000 and erases Lin Dan's embarrassing first round exit from the Athens Games four years ago where he was also the favourites.
The victory also gave China a repeat of their three gold haul from Athens. Besides the men's singles, China won the women's singles and women's doubles.
Indonesia took the men's doubles title and South Korea the mixed double gold.
Gold medal winner Lu Bin at the awarding ceremony
Final action of Lu's landing
Top winners at the awarding ceremony
Bronze winner Japanese Makoto Okiguchi in action
Bronze winner Japanese Makoto Okiguchi in action
Bronze winner Japanese Makoto Okiguchi in action
Silver winner Flavius Koczi of Romania in action
Top gymnast in men's vault qualifications Chinese Liang Mingsheng fells down in final
Top three winners at the awarding ceremony
