Goal for the Paris Olympics: Maintain Two, Strive for Three, Aim for Four

Jayce September 6, 2024 11 0

The badminton events at the Paris Olympics will take place from July 27 to August 5. Top players from traditional powerhouses like Korea and Indonesia are eyeing the gold medals, and several European athletes are eager to achieve breakthroughs on home soil. In contrast, the greatest advantage of the Chinese badminton team lies in its balanced lineup, with competitive strength in all five categories.

Three years ago in Tokyo, the Chinese team won 2 gold and 4 silver medals. This time in Paris, Zhang Jun, chairman of the Chinese Badminton Association, stated that the team’s goal is to “maintain two, strive for three, aim for four.”

The seeds for each event in the Paris Olympics were determined based on the world rankings as of July 9. This means that China’s men’s singles player Shi Yuqi, men’s doubles pair Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang, women’s doubles pair Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan, and mixed doubles pair Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong will compete as the top seeds, while women’s singles defending champion Chen Yufei is the second seed. As the only team to qualify the maximum number of participants in each event, the Chinese team has the potential to win medals across the board.

Men’s Singles:

June 9: Shi Yuqi celebrates his victory. On this day, at the men’s singles final of the 2024 Indonesia Open in Jakarta, Chinese player Shi Yuqi defeated Denmark’s Anders Antonsen 2-1 to win the championship. (Photo by Xinhua reporter Xu Qin)

The men’s singles field is filled with strong contenders. China’s top player, Shi Yuqi, has been in excellent form since 2024, winning titles at the Indonesia Open, the French Open, and other events. In the Thomas Cup in May, he played as the first singles player, defeating top players like Prannoy, Lee Zii Jia, and Ginting, helping China reclaim the championship. As the top seed, Shi Yuqi is technically and mentally mature, making him a strong contender in Paris.

Second seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark has been a dominant force in badminton for years. If he wins, he will become the second player after Lin Dan to defend the Olympic men’s singles title. Indonesian star Jonatan Christie, the third seed, is also a strong gold medal contender, having recently won the All England Open and the Asian Badminton Championships. Other notable players like Li Shifeng, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Kodai Naraoka, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, and Lee Zii Jia are also medal hopefuls.

Women’s Singles:

June 9: Chen Yufei (right) and An Se-young pose at the award ceremony. On this day, at the women’s singles final of the 2024 Indonesia Open in Jakarta, Chinese player Chen Yufei defeated South Korean player An Se-young 2-1 to win the championship. (Photo by Vili)

In women’s singles, the “BIG4” – An Se-young, Chen Yufei, Akane Yamaguchi, and Tai Tzu-ying – are highly anticipated. Top seed An Se-young of Korea is the undisputed favorite, having won 10 singles titles last season, including the World Championships and Asian Games. Despite injury issues after the Asian Games, she remains a dominant force. Akane Yamaguchi returned from injury earlier this year and has stated her intention to fight for a medal for Japan. Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu-ying will make her “last dance” in Paris, determined to win her first Olympic gold.

Defending champion Chen Yufei has been in good physical condition recently, with her stability being her greatest strength. Chen Yufei and teammate He Bingjiao are in the same half of the draw and may meet in the quarterfinals. Luo Yigang, the head coach of the Chinese women’s singles team, mentioned that Chen Yufei has improved her attacking skills, and He Bingjiao has made significant progress in overcoming challenges during internal practice matches held in Chengdu in July.

Aside from the “BIG4,” 2016 Rio Olympic champion Carolina Marin cannot be overlooked. She has won multiple titles this season, including the All England Open and the European Badminton Championships. Fans are keen to see if the Spanish veteran can make a triumphant comeback in Paris.

Doubles Events:

June 9: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan (foreground) in action. On this day, at the women’s doubles final of the 2024 Indonesia Open in Jakarta, the Chinese pair Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan were defeated 0-2 by the Korean pair Baek Ha-na/Lee So-hee and took the silver medal. (Photo by Vili)

In doubles, “fulfilling the dream” is the key phrase. The Chinese women’s doubles pair Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan and mixed doubles pair Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong have already won numerous honors but lack Olympic gold medals. Both pairs were narrowly defeated in the finals of the Tokyo Olympics. To realize their dreams in Paris, Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan will face major rivals like the Korean pair Baek Ha-na/Lee So-hee and the Japanese pair Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida. Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong will need to overcome challenges from the 2023 World Champions, the Korean pair Seo Seung-jae/Chae Yu-jung.

Men’s doubles will be the most unpredictable event, with top seeds Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang, Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk/Seo Seung-jae, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, and Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto all being strong contenders for the title.

It’s worth noting that the host French team has shown significant improvement in recent years. BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen has highly praised the French players’ preparation. With the advantage of playing at home, French men’s singles player Toma Junior Popov and mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue are expected to achieve good results.