2012 London Olympics – Badminton: rock star of badminton Lin Dan wins singles final to end Malaysia’s hopes of first gold medal

The fact that Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei were playing each other for the gold medal in the men’s singles badminton tournament appeared to have escaped most in the capital.

Which is hardly surprising, of course. Sports fans, especially those short-term fans lured into the stands by the irresistible scent of zeitgeist, are stubbornly parochial sorts. All home interest was extinguished some days ago, and yesterday almost the only English being spoken was by the volunteers and at the food stalls.

So while the eyes of Britain were on Andy Murray and Ben Ainslie, for a fifth of the world’s population, Lin versus Lee was the only show in town.

China may have won 51 gold medals in Beijing – and are set to approach that here – but this is the one they want above all others. Malaysia, meanwhile, crave this as only a nation of 28 million people that has never won an Olympic gold medal can…

via London 2012 Olympics: rock star of badminton Lin Dan wins singles final to end Malaysia’s hopes of first gold medal – Telegraph.