Only with strong affection and dim swords and shadows, Lin Dan and Li Zongwei reunite as teenagers | badminton | affection
On the afternoon of June 27th, at the Spring Cocoon Sports Center in Shenzhen Bay, two figures attracted the attention of countless badminton enthusiasts.
Lin Dan and Li Zongwei, legendary opponents in badminton history, made their debut here and led numerous active national players to stage an exhibition match.
The jokes between each other, the empathy between words... Although they can no longer face each other on the professional field, the friendship between old opponents still persists, and even becomes more and more profound with the sedimentation of time.
Lin Dan and Li Zongwei.
Meeting old friends, deep affection
On the morning of the 27th, Lin Dan and Li Zongwei attended the 2024 YONEX Spring/Summer New Product Launch Partner Conference held at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. During the event, the two of them personally acted as models and appeared in their respective collections of clothing.
Later that afternoon, the two of them teamed up to contribute to a "Lin Li Battle" - a performance match against multiple active Chinese badminton team players, as well as youth and disabled players.
The performance competition was fiercely contested in three matches, and in the end, the Dragon team led by Lin Dan defeated the Tiger team led by Li Zongwei 2-1 to win. However, for all participants, victory or defeat is not the most important thing.
It is the wish of every participating player to promote badminton and showcase its charm through such a performance match, and for fans, being able to see the "Lin Li Battle" again is already a great satisfaction.
Previously, Li Zongwei announced his retirement at a press conference in June 2019, while Lin Dan officially announced his retirement decision in July 2020.
The rivalry between the two on the field symbolizes an era of men's singles badminton.
But after bidding farewell to the Blade and Light Sword movie, the relationship between this old rival did not fade, but instead became deeper and purer.
"Actually, before retiring, although we were all friends in the later stages, we still had that kind of hostile state," Lin Dan admitted to a reporter from The Paper, "but today's communication is completely about sharing the fun and joy of badminton."
Li Zongwei joked, "Both Lin Dan and I have our own families and need to leave more time for them. I was saying before that I have three children and he only has one, so he should come and catch up with me as soon as possible."
The familiarity and intimacy between the two can be seen from every detail - during the post match interview, Lin Dan arrived first. Seeing that Li Zongwei did not appear, Lin Dan took the initiative to ask the reporter, "Why don't I send him a WeChat call?"
During the interview, the two were also quite humble. When answering questions, Lin Dan asked Li Zongwei to speak first, "You are a guest." Li Zongwei responded with a smile, "No, this is your home court."
In fact, only a month ago did the two meet - at that time, a ceremony was held in Kuala Lumpur for Lin Dan and Li Zongwei to be inducted into the BWF Hall of Fame.
Li Zongwei revealed that the two of them had a meal together and talked about their current lives and work. "He is developing youth badminton in China and wants to make more contributions to this sport. I also hope to have the opportunity to promote badminton more in China with Lin Dan. We are all members of the Unix family, and I hope everyone continues to support us."
Cultivate young people and safeguard the national team
As Li Zongwei said, Lin Dan's role in life has shifted from personally competing for gold and silver on the field to cultivating future champions.
In December 2022, the Lindan Xie Xingfang International Badminton Exchange Center located at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center was officially put into use. In Lin Dan's words, youth badminton will become his new career direction.
"Thank you very much to Shenzhen and the relevant leaders, because it's not easy to land. I don't want to be a traditional badminton hall, but I hope to showcase the historical elements of badminton. Based on the feedback over the past six months, everyone also thinks that this is a very good badminton hall."
During the conversation, Lin Dan also expressed his expectation for more cooperation with Li Zongwei in the future. "I hope to continue doing some youth badminton training. If Zongwei is willing to bring some young players to my gym in the future, I would also be very welcome."
In Lin Dan's opinion, it is most important to make children who have just started playing badminton feel the joy of this sport.
"We don't just set a bunch of exercise plans for our children from the beginning, but rather hope to make them feel that this sport is fun. After that, we will gradually refine some of the training requirements based on the concentration of interest," Lin Dan said.
When his friend devoted himself to the youth industry, Li Zongwei devoted more energy to serving the Malaysian national team.
In order to strive for a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the Malaysian National Sports Council proposed the "Gold Road" plan, in which Li Zongwei was responsible for badminton related affairs.
In order to take care of the national team players and freelance players who fly solo, he needs to coordinate with multiple parties and do his best to create a good environment for Malaysian players. The task on his shoulders is not light.
"We need to take care of the entire badminton Olympic preparation, so that players can compete fairly and do their best for the athletes. Being a 'leader' is not easy," he laughed to reporters.
The enlightenment that Lin Dan brings to younger generations
After leaving the field, Lin Dan and Li Zongwei continued to work hard for badminton. And after them, the new generation of players have gradually stepped onto the front stage.
Not long ago, in the Sudirman Cup, the Chinese team went through a narrow escape and ultimately won the championship trophy, which moved Lin Dan very much.
"The Su Cup is a big test for the entire team, and for all the young players, they have completed it very well," he told The Paper.
"Of course, there will be a big exam next year, which is the Paris Olympics. Many young players have not yet participated in the Olympics, which is also a very big test for them."
"I still hope they can practice solidly every day, play every point race seriously, and make full preparations for the Olympics."
After Lin Dan retired, many people were hoping for the next Chinese badminton player to reach his height, but without a doubt, the birth of a superstar was not easy.
"Each era has its own unique athletes, and the reason why Zong Wei, Taufik, and Pete Gede can be remembered by so many fans and media is indeed because we have worked hard for a long time, maintaining the best competitive state on top courts for a long time, which is difficult to achieve."
As Lin Dan hoped, current Chinese badminton players are demanding the highest standards of themselves.
"When it comes to badminton, you think of Lin Dan, not only because of Dan's performance, but also because of his spirit," said national player Zheng Siwei in an interview with The Paper.
"Being able to defeat opponents in so many major competitions not only relies on technical skills and tactics, but also on faith and spirit. Dan Ge's performance in the open competition is not as good as Li Zongwei's, but he can win every time he enters the competition. This is where Dan Ge truly excels," Zheng Siwei said.
Female doubles star Jia Yifan also felt the same way, "For athletes, it is very difficult to defeat opponents and break through oneself. Dan Ge's spirit has always inspired young people to learn from him."
"He has a resilience that is different from others, and every time he encounters difficulties, his explosive, selfless, and extreme state is worth emulating."
