Lin Dan's nemesis to miss Rio 2016

Updated: 2012-08-29 17:11

(chinadaily.com.cn)

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Lin Dan's nemesis to miss Rio 2016

Gold medallist China's Lin Dan (R) gestures silver medallist Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei forward at the victory ceremony for the men's singles badminton event at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Wembley Arena August 5, 2012.  [Photo/Agencies]

Lin Dan's dream of an Olympic re-match with long-time nemesis Lee Chong Wei in Rio four years later will remain just that as the Malaysia's poster boy said he would hang up his racket after playing next year's world badminton championships.

Instead, Lee, currently ranked world number two, hoped to tie knot with fiancée and former teammate Wong Mew Choo, herself a former world top 10 player, right after playing in Guangzhou next October.

The 30-year-old tamed an ankle injury to storm to the men's singles final game when he lost, again, to Lin to settle for his second consecutive Olympic silver medal.

Lee has long been tipped as the only hope to give Malaysia the historic Olympic gold as team officials hinted they wanted him to stay till 2016. 

World badminton will see another big name off this year as 36-year-old former world number one Peter Gade of Denmark has invited Lee, Lin and 2004 Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia to his retirement ceremony at the year end.

Before the party hosted by Gade, Lin will present a long-delayed marriage banquet for his wife and former world champion teammate Xie Xingfang in September.  

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