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羽毛球——SMH：替补晋级的澳女双依旧落败 Badminton team devastated after losing second chance match
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Never has the sport of goose feathers got itself in such a flap.
The Olympic campaign of Australia's women's badminton doubles pairing finally came to an end on Wednesday night, more than two days after it finished the first time. Leeane Choo and Renuga Veeran could not capitalise on a lifeline that came their way when eight athletes were disqualified for deliberately throwing matches.
To just get there it was very emotional, it was hard for us to process it in such a short time. Mentally it was very challenging.
Having made the quarter-finals by default, the emotion of the previous 24 hours of uncertainty weighed heavily. When their Games ended a second time, it was in tears.
Second chance quarter-final ... Leanne Choo and Renuga Veeran. Photo: Jason South
"It's just been a roller-coaster," Veeran said after their brave 21-9, 18-21, 21-18 loss to Canada's Michelle Li and Alex Bruce. Australia's coach Lasse Bundgaard felt "like something has been taken away from us."
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Choo's emotional reaction revealed that it was something that meant a great deal. The 21-year-old was unable to convey her feelings verbally, but the sight of her slumped against a breeze-block wall below Wembley Arena sobbing uncontrollably said enough. This was the anguish of Olympic defeat writ large, and no amount of comforting from team officials or Veeran — who hauled Choo to her feet and hugged her — could stem the flow.
"She's only 21 ... to be given an opportunity like this is a big thing for her," said Veeran, who is a more experienced 26. "Maybe it's a bit harder for her to process that we're only three points from getting to the semi-finals.
"Being in the quarter-finals ... to just get there it was very emotional, it was hard for us to process it in such a short time. Mentally it was very challenging."
Confirmation that they would join South Africa, Russia and the Canadians in replacing the disqualified Chinese, Indonesian and two Korean pairs had come only two hours before they took the court. Veeran, her nails painted alternately green and gold like the bands in her hair, said it left precious little time for routine staples like a team talk and mental preparation.
The Canadians readied themselves throughout Wednesday knowing their quarter-final place was safe - the Chinese team they replaced had not appealed the decision. While Veeran wondered if it gave them an edge, Bundegaard estimated that the Australians would have toppled Canada nine times out of 10 "so this is not a good time to lose."
The Canadians got an early jump on the match but Veeran and Choo clawed their way back and put their noses in front, taking a 5-2 lead in the decider. Bundegaard rued that the contest became about more than simply playing badminton — "controlling your nerves, a lot of mental things".
"I think they feel quite shattered, is that the Australian word for it?" he said of his charges. "Quite sad. They know they could do it, they really wanted to do it. We got an extra chance — we were out, we got this extra opportunity, and we didn't take it."
A quarter-final is Australia's best badminton result since Barcelona 1992, and Veeran hoped the attention this has focused on the team, rather than the controversy of the disqualifications, would serve her sport well. Bundegaard said it was a top-eight finish, regardless of how it came about.
"We can use that to showcase the sport and show we are improving," Bundegaard said.
Having beaten South Africa and taken a set off world No.11 Indonesia, Veeran was left in no doubt they were worthy of the second chance. Her coach's blunt appraisal — that they can't get it back, and it will be four years before they can create another one — told how little that counted for.
Veeran was adamant that whoever takes gold here will be just and deserved winners. She was scathing of the tactics used by the disgraced pairs, deliberately losing in a bid to position themselves better in the quarter-final draw.
"Sport is about being fair and square. In badminton you don't need to do stuff like that to get a medal," she said.
The solution to preventing an act that Games chief Sebastian Coe described as "depressing and unacceptable" was put simply by a Chinese badminton journalist, giving a television interview in a corridor at a venue that had suddenly and surprisingly become the hot spot of Olympic London - "revert to a knockout format, simple."
Bundegaard was affronted at the notion that the girls might quite understandably have indulged in the sort of Olympic spirit commonplace for athletes whose commitments have ended. Veeran said they went to dinner on Monday night, and spent Tuesday in the athletes' village, "thinking it's over".
Asked if they hadn't perhaps spent the day sightseeing or visiting English pubs, she hinted that a well-deserved letdown was imminent. "No, not yet" she said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/n ... .html#ixzz22MMmrSGZ |
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WA four day trip + the old Indian Pacific (FL15 Update) (2009-1-5) pangpang 
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发表于 2012-8-2 15:31
