POLL – Who is most likely to defend their Asian Games gold?

The 2014 Incheon Asian Games begin in just over a week.  Individual entries have yet to be officially made public but already it seems clear that several of the champions from Guangzhou four years ago will be back looking for more gold.  In our latest Badzine Poll, we would like to know who you think is most likely to defend their title.

Both of China’s singles gold medallists from the Guangzhou Asian Games are back in Incheon in 2014, along with at least half of each winning doubles pair.  With the recent substitution of Tian Qing for Tang Jinhua, the women’s doubles may even have a repeat gold medal pair.  The chances of repeat podium appearances are great all around.  All but one of the Guangzhou champions have gone on to win the World Championships.  Lin Dan has won two since then, Hendra Setiawan won his second, but with a new partner, and Shin Baek Cheol won his first just a couple of weeks ago, in a new discipline.

Zhao Yunlei and Tian Qing (pictured) also picked up their first World title last month in Copenhagen and in Incheon, they could be the only ones to defend as a pair unless Tian is tipped for a temporary reunion with Bao Yixin, with whom she won the Malaysia Open last year.  Zhao, of course, still has a chance in the mixed doubles, where she is not the defending champion.

Lin Dan has been the least active of late but in light of his performance with even less preparation at last year’s World Championships, he would be a top contender even without the fact that the only player who has beaten him in the last two years is a European and thus not in the running.

Shin Baek Cheol is the only title defender who has never been ranked #1 in the world and the only one whose 2010 partner has since retired.  He and Jang Ye Na would be the biggest long shots to win gold in Incheon;  however, Shin was just as much of a long shot to win gold in Guangzhou, to reach the semi-finals at last year’s Worlds, and to become champion in Copenhagen this year and he is the only one who will be playing with home crowd support.

Please cast your vote for any two defending champions and feel free to elaborate on your choice in the comments section below.

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