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James Porteous

China’s Olympic underachievement continued early on Thursday morning Rio time – they will not be getting a gold in women’s badminton after reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui was beaten by world No 1 Carolina Marin in the semi-finals.
China won a clean sweep of badminton medals in London 2012 in a sport they have traditionally dominated, but the most they can achieve now is two, in men’s singles and doubles.
“Just like what I have said before, our team has to try our best,” Li said about China’s woes. “Our Chinese team is strong. We have tried our best to perform well at the Olympics. These days the challenge is much more competitive worldwide. Every team is showing they are strong and powerful.”

Li appeared to be struggling with a knee injury. “I will receive treatment, so it is not a huge deal. I do not know what is wrong, I need a doctor to check it.”
She said of the biggest challenge against Marin: “The biggest challenge is myself.”
“I feel pretty lucky,” she added. “I enjoyed the whole process. I mean, after all, every player wants to stand in the Olympic stadium.”
Crumbling dynasty: China out of women’s doubles and facing badminton blues
WATCH: golden moments on Day 12 at the Rio Olympics

China missed out on women’s doubles gold for the first time since 1992 and both their pairs lost in the mixed semis. China have won three of the last five golds available in that event.
Double Olympic champion Lin Dan and Chen Long play in separate men’s semi-finals on Friday, while Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan will compete in the men’s doubles final later that day.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the final, but I feel emotional because I have worked so hard for this and I want to collect the reward tomorrow,” said Marin, who won 21-14, 21-16.
“It was an emotional match, I knew it was going to be a hard match. I felt very strong on the court. I was only thinking about what I had to do, on the strategy and everything that we planned as a team.
“She is the reigning Olympic champion, I just went out to enjoy the game and give my best.
“The most important thing today was to show her that I wanted to beat her and not see myself as less than her because it is clear that the Chinese dominate badminton, but if I show her that I want to win and not give up that also makes the coaches nervous. I maintained a confident body language throughout.”
Marin can become the first European woman to win badminton gold.
She added: “Today’s match was against an Olympic champion. She has been No 1 in the world. She was the one who had to defend her gold medal, I didn’t have the pressure of thinking about that.”
She will play India's V Sindhu Pusarla in the final. 
WATCH: relive the action involving Hong Kong athletes on Day 11 at the Rio Olympics

Meanwhile, adding insult to injury, China didn't even claim bronze in the men's doubles as Britain beat them.
Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge capped a brilliant tournament for Britain by stunning China’s Chai Biao and Hong Wei to clinch the medal.
The rank outsiders were thrilled to have just made the knockout rounds but showed they belonged at the business end of the tournament with a composed 21-18, 19-21 21-10 victory at the Riocentro. 
“We had a big lead and you could see the tension on their faces. They’ve got so much pressure on them because China are the badminton nation, the superpowers. Britain are lower down that order,” an ecstatic Langridge said afterwards.
It was only Britain’s third ever Olympic badminton medal and first since Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson took mixed doubles silver at the 2004 Athens Games.
And China also lost the women's doubles bronze medal match, beaten by Korea.
Additional reporting: AFP


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Rio 2016 Olympic Games

From bad to worse: China’s reigning Olympic badminton champion Li Xuerui beaten by world number one

China’s Li Xuerui reacts after losing to Spain’s Carolina Marin in the badminton semi-final at the Riocentro stadium. Photo: AFP

China's Li Xuerui is checked by a medical staff as she plays against Spain's Carolina Marin plays during a women's singles semifinal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

2016 Rio Olympics - Badminton - Women's Singles - Semifinals - Riocentro - Pavilion 4 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 18/08/2016. Carolina Marin (ESP) of Spain celebrates a point during her match against Li Xuerui (CHN) of China. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

Does China’s worst Olympic Games medal haul since 2000 point to a change in the country’s attitude towards sport?

Zhao Shuai of China celebrates winning the men’s 58hk taekwondo final. Photo: Reuters

epa05491393 Silver medalist Jack Laugher of Great Britain, Gold medalist Cao Yuan of China, and Bronze medalist Patrick Hausding of Germany smile during the medal ceremony for the men's 3m Springboard final competition of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Diving events at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 16 August 2016. EPA/PATRICK B. KRAEMER

2016 Rio Olympics - Badminton - Mixed Doubles - Victory Ceremony - Riocentro - Pavilion 4 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 17/08/2016. Gold medallists Tontowi Ahmad (INA) of Indonesia and Liliyana Natsir (INA) of Indonesia, silver medallists Peng Soon Chan (MAS) of Malaysia and Liu Ying Goh (MAS) of Malaysia, and bronze medallists Zhang Nan (CHN) of China and Zhao Yunlei (CHN) of China stand on the podium as the Indonesian national anthem is played. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

China's Ye Shiwen prepares to compete in a heat of the women's 400-meter individual medley during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

epa05485076 Jason Kenny of Great Britain celebrates after winning gold in the men's Sprint finals of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Track Cycling events at the Rio Olympic Velodrome in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 14 August 2016. EPA/JAVIER ETXEZARRETA

China's gold medal winner Sun Yang waves during the medal ceremony for the men's 200-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

China's Fu Yuanhui holds up her bronze medal for the women's 100-meter backstroke at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 8, 2016. Fu is popular for her wacky facial expressions and candid words. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Arch-rivals Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei set up mouth-watering clash in badminton semis

Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia dives to play a shot against Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen during the badminton men’s singles quarter-finals at Riocentro on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

China’s Lin Dan in action against Srikanth Kidambi of India during their Rio 2016 Olympic Games badminton men’s singles quarter-final match on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei plays a shot behind his back during his match against Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan. Photo: Reuters

Srikanth Kidambi of India congratulates his victorious badminton quarter-finals opponent Lin Dan of China. Photo: AP

Sport

China

Mainland team’s underachieving effort continues as Spain’s Carolina Marin defeats Chinese who appears to struggle with a knee injury during semi-final match
