Jayce
Despite their defeat in the opening match of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ben Lane and Sean Vendy found many positives.
The pair lost 19-21, 21-16, 21-11 to Tokyo bronze medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik but matched their Malaysian opponents throughout the Group A contest.
They made a strong start in the French capital, taking a 5-1 lead en route to winning the opening game 21-19 and seemed poised to replicate their thrilling victory over the Malaysians at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
However, the Malaysian duo responded by winning the next two games to secure victory.
Lane commented, “We actually performed pretty well. We have played a lot of good badminton over the last two months, and I think we performed well today. The Malaysians also played good badminton, and unfortunately, in sport, there is a loser, and that was us today.”
Vendy added, “It was a tough match, a good match. We played pretty well. We came out really strong and tried to put the pressure on them, which I think we did really well. They are a top four pair, top four in the world, so they were never going to let us have it easy. They came back well and made us work for it, and we just couldn’t get over the line.”
The duo made their Olympic debuts in Tokyo, exiting in the group stage in an empty arena.
The newly-built La Chapelle Arena was sold out and buzzing after a soggy Opening Ceremony set the stage for the first Games in Paris in a century.
British fans have purchased more tickets than any other nation except France, and Vendy certainly felt the extra boost.
“The atmosphere is unreal. It’s insane,” said Vendy. “As soon as we walked out, you could feel there were so many people. It’s sold out on day one of badminton, which is so good for our sport. It feels like a home Games for us because all our friends and family are there, and at every point, you hear them cheering for you. It gives you that extra couple of percent. Hopefully, the same again tomorrow, and hopefully, we are on the winning side this time.”
Lane and Vendy will face the world number one Chinese pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in their second match tomorrow morning. They need to win that game to have a chance of progressing to the knockout stages, with the Chinese having clinically dispatched Adam Dong and Nyl Yakura of Canada in their first game.
Lane stated, “We have just got to focus on recovery; that was a physical match out there, and we need to be as best prepared as we can.”
