RIO DE JANEIRO: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei lamented a third consecutive Olympic final defeat on Saturday after China’s Chen Long beat the world number one in straight games for men’s badminton singles gold.
“Today leaves me with some regrets,” said Lee, putting on a brave face following his 21-18, 21-18 defeat to second-ranked Chen, who became Olympic champion for the first time.
“I went into the finals in three Olympics and came away with three silver medals.
“For me, for Malaysia, for the fans, I think we all hoped we could win the gold. I did my best but my opponent played better,” the 33-year-old added graciously.
Despite being one of the sport’s most accomplished players, the Malaysian has never won a world or Olympic title and will retire without that elusive gold medal.
“This was my last Olympics,” Lee said, but added that he wasn’t able to think about when he will lay down his racquet for good so soon after another heartbreaking defeat.
“I can’t think so much right now but this will be my last Olympics,” said the shuttler.
It was a first gold medal for London 2012 bronze medallist Chen. He took an early 11-8 lead in what turned out to be the deciding game before stretching his hold over Lee to 20-15.
There was no way back for the quiet Lee and Chen celebrated by running with his shirt off to the Chinese fans at the Riocentro venue after inflicting more Olympic heartache on the Malaysian.
Lee lost the previous two finals at the Olympic Games, in Beijing and London, to Chinese arch-rival and badminton superstar Lin Dan.
He fought his way back to the top of the rankings after returning from a doping ban last year for a final shot at Olympic glory.
Lee finally overcame his nemesis Lin in their last-four clash in Brazil and the end of the Rio Games brings the curtain down on their Olympic rivalry.
But Lee said he wished it could have finished differently.
“It’s the fourth Olympics for both of us and we have played against each other so many times.
“After beating Lin Dan I wasn’t that happy because I could really see our match being the big final.
“I think this will definitely be the last competition for both of us,” Lee added.
His defeat meant Malaysia’s hunt for a first Olympic gold in any sport continues.
“We still need a gold medal and I hope in 2020 in Tokyo we can achieve that,” said Lee, who added that he had no words for the Malaysian people following his loss.
World number two Chen said he had been determined to ensure that the men’s singles title stayed with China after Lin was dumped out by Lee.
“The key here was that a Chinese man won badminton gold. It was a little bit unexpected for me but all the hard work has paid off,” he told reporters.
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen defeated Lin 15-21, 21-10, 21-17 to claim bronze.
Malaysian Lee’s regrets as Chen grabs gold
Malaysian Lee’s regrets as Chen grabs gold
Rocky 2025 for Green Falcons leaves Saudi fans anxious ahead of 2026 World Cup
- Herve Renard’s team secured a seventh qualification for the Kingdom, but the year ended in disappointment after the semifinal exit at the Arab Cup
RIYADH: Just over three years ago, the Saudi men’s national team did the unthinkable, defeating eventual world champions Argentina in their opening match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, with just under six months until the Green Falcons kick off against Uruguay, the contrast in sentiment surrounding the national team could hardly be starker.
The road since 2022 has been anything but smooth. While Herve Renard was head coach during Saudi Arabia’s memorable 2022 campaign, this is now his second tenure in the Kingdom. A brief spell under Roberto Mancini, one many Saudi fans would rather forget, saw progress stall on the road to 2026.
Despite significant excitement surrounding Renard’s in October 2024, the second chapter so far has failed to inspire.
A draw against Australia and a loss to Indonesia marked the beginning of Renard’s return, followed by an underwhelming campaign at the 26th Gulf Cup. Saudi Arabia did make it through to the semifinals, but for a nation that has not lifted a trophy since early 2004, supporters were desperate for silverware, even at the regional level.
There were signs of improvement at the start of 2025. Wins against China and Bahrain, alongside a draw in Japan, left the Greens one victory away from direct World Cup qualification — albeit requiring a favorable swing in goal difference after Australia’s last-minute win over Japan.
However, defeat to Australia, followed by another disappointing campaign, this time at the 2025 Gold Cup in the US, saw fans’ pessimism creep back in ahead of the fourth round of World Cup qualification.
A narrow win over Indonesia, coupled with a draw against Iraq, meant Saudi Arabia ultimately secured World Cup qualification for the seventh time. With the 2025 Arab Cup on the horizon, the Greens found themselves at a crossroads: Win the Arab Cup, and momentum heading into 2026 would be sky-high. Lose, and uncomfortable questions would resurface.
Saudi Arabia did reach the knockout stages, but once again, doubts remained. Renard’s trip to the US for the World Cup draw meant he missed out on the Comoros group stage clash, and that did little to ease concerns. Still, the Greens were three matches away from their first title in 21 years.
Palestine proved stern opposition in the quarterfinals, but Mohammed Kanno’s late intervention sent Saudi Arabia through to face Jordan, the 2023 Asian Cup finalists.
Jordan’s rise has increasingly unsettled the Saudi fanbase. Between 1970 and 2018, Saudi Arabia had lost to their neighbors just three times in 11 meetings. That has all changed since 2019, with Jordan triumphing in three of their last four outings against the Greens.
They would ultimately make it four from five, as a solitary second-half goal was enough to launch Jordan to their first-ever final, and disappointment once again took over the Saudi camp.
That result intensified calls for Renard to be sacked ahead of the World Cup. Rumors suggested his departure was imminent, but the Saudi Arabian Football Federation swiftly denied anything of the sort.
It is worth noting that Renard himself has already made history, becoming the first coach to lead Saudi Arabia to World Cup qualification in 2022 and remaining in the role for the start of the tournament. Should he remain in charge for 2026, he would also become the first to manage the team at two consecutive World Cups.
Yet while SAFF and Renard turn their attention to their next challenge, Saudi fans remain anxious.
Speaking to Arab News, local fan Ahmed Al-Bawardi said the issue extends beyond results. “It’s not so much about the results, but the national team’s identity,” he said.
“We don’t look like a well-oiled team on the pitch, and we don’t feel the same excitement as we did in 2022.”
Asked whether he would like Renard to stay, Al-Bawardi added: “Sacking Renard might solve some problems, but what we’re seeing is deeper than just bad tactics.”
Renard himself has repeatedly pointed to the limited game time afforded to domestic players in the Roshn Saudi League. Al-Bawardi responded with a sentiment shared by many Saudi fans: “The Premier League is the best in the world. How many domestic players start there?”
According to TransferMarkt data for the 2025/26 season, the Premier League has 544 players registered, 388 of whom are foreign — a staggering 71 percent. The Roshn Saudi League, by comparison, is still some way off — only 37.5 percent of the league’s players are foreign.
Balancing the national team’s development alongside the league’s rapid expansion was never going to be easy. Nor was switching managerial philosophies, only to return to one whose previous work was partially undone.
As Saudi Arabia looks ahead to 2026, unease remains among the fanbase. With a World Cup group that includes former world champions Spain and Uruguay, the road to the US, Mexico and Canada may still prove to be rocky.
