Giant-killing Danes Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl stunned China’s second-ranked pair in the semi-finals of the women’s badminton doubles at the Olympics yesterday to end the Asian nation’s 20-year stranglehold on the title.
An inspired performance at the Riocentro saw Pedersen and Rytter Juhl fend off Yu Yang and Tang Yuanting 21-16, 14-21, 21-19 in a thriller, ensuring Denmark will grab their first medal in the event since badminton joined the Olympic programme in 1992. “The feeling and everything inside us is just so happy and proud — really, really proud that we have now secured a medal for Denmark,” said 30-year-old Pedersen. “It’s difficult to say it loud because it’s still a dream.”
The Scandinavians will meet Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi in the gold medal decider tomorrow, the top-ranked Japanese having defeated South Korea’s Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan 21-16 21-15 in the earlier semi-final.
It was another bitter pill for the formidable Chinese team to swallow, having surrendered the mixed doubles title on Monday after both their pairs were eliminated in the semi-finals. That ended their bid to defend all five of their Olympic titles won at London, the only sweep in Olympic history.
China’s Yu had hoped desperately for a shot at the title, to erase the humiliation in London four years ago when she and partner Wang Xiaoli were kicked out mid-way through the scandal-plagued tournament. They were one of four women’s pairs disqualified for deliberating playing to lose their pool matches in a bid to secure more favourable draws in knockout rounds.
“It’s a pity,” 30-year-old Yu, who won the doubles gold at her home Beijing Games in 2008, told Reuters. “A real pity. They played extremely well, but on the other hand, we played really badly. I just think it’s a real shame because it’s my last Olympics.”
The Danes did it the hard way, allowing their opponents back into the game and blowing four match points before closing it out with a smash at the end of a fierce rally. “We were thinking about the medal and that’s really stupid to do,” said 32-year-old Rytter Juhl of their stumble over the finish line.
“It was 19-20 and I said to Christinna ‘come on, let’s take it’. I think it’s a good thing for the ladies doubles that China’s not dominating totally as they were four years ago. It’s nice that it’s many countries can get the gold.”

China stops Britain’s run
in men’s doubles
Meanwhile, China’s Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan ended Britain’s dream run in the men’s doubles yesterday to set up a gold medal decider against Malaysia. The 22nd-ranked Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge battled hard at the Riocentro but were ultimately outclassed by the powerful Chinese duo who kept them at arm’s length in a 21-14 21-18 victory.
Both the Chinese will have a chance to clinch their second Olympic golds in Friday’s final. Fu won the doubles with Cai Yun four years ago, while Zhang clinched the mixed doubles title with Zhao Yunlei at London. There will be no repeat in Rio because Zhang, 26, and Zhao lost to Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir in the semi-finals on Monday.
“The way I played in that (mixed doubles) match wasn’t ideal,” he told reporters. “I was disappointed but it didn’t really affect us today.” Fu and Zhang will face the fired-up Malaysian duo of Goh V. Shem and Tan Wee Kiong who played out of their skins to defeat Chinese pair Chai Biao and Hong Wei in the earlier semi-final.
Roared on by a huge contingent of Malaysian fans, the 12th-ranked pair were hugely impressive in their 21-18 12-21 21-17 win, which gives Malaysia another chance to win its first ever Olympic title. Mixed doubles pairing Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying will have the first shot to grab the steamy Southeast Asian a long-awaited title today when they contest the final against Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir.
Ellis and Langridge will play Chai and Hong in the bronze playoff tomorrow and have a chance to grab Britain’s first ever men’s doubles medal. “We’ve still got a great opportunity to get a bronze medal and that will be absolutely massive for badminton so it’s something we’re looking forward to,” said Ellis.