[Congratulatory Message] Lin Dan 2:1 Comeback Against Lee Chong Wei, Defending Champion

King's duel: Lin Dan comes back 2-1 to beat Lee Chong Wei, defending men's singles title for China's 26th gold medal, August 5, 2012. Sina Sports, August 5, Beijing time – A highly anticipated men's singles showdown in badminton at the London Olympics has just concluded. Chinese player Lin Dan lost the first game 15-21 against Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei but came back to win the next two games 21-10 and 21-19, defeating Lee 2-1. He became the first athlete in history to defend the Olympic men's singles title, and this was also China's 26th gold medal at these Olympic Games. The 28-year-old Lin Dan has already won all the major world championships that a men's singles player can achieve, making him a 'Super Grand Slam' winner. He is currently the undisputed number one in badminton and the defending Olympic champion. The 29-year-old Lee Chong Wei has yet to achieve a prestigious world champion title, but his technical skills are outstanding, and he is recognized as the only current player capable of challenging Lin Dan, as well as the biggest rival to China's men's singles. In the semifinals, Lee Chong Wei defeated China's Chen Long with a high-level performance, while Lin Dan comfortably beat Korea's Lee Hyun-il. The two met smoothly in the final. This was their 31st career encounter; in the previous 29 matches, Lin Dan led by a wide margin with 21 wins and 9 losses, although Lee Chong Wei was also the player who has defeated Lin Dan the most times. In the finals of the Beijing Olympics, Guangzhou Asian Games, and last year's London World Championships, the two met three times, with Lin Dan emerging victorious each time. This was their fourth meeting in a top-level tournament final face-to-face.