Legends gather at Eiffel Tower to mark 100-day countdown to Olympics

PARIS: Under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday, an extraordinary spectacle attracted onlookers – not a scene from a film, but a real-life gathering of badminton royalty.

Celebrating the 100-day countdown to the Paris Olympic Games, legends of the sport – China’s Lin Dan, Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, and Denmark’s Peter Gade – convened for a historic charity match at this iconic Parisian landmark.

“I personally think it’s unprecedented. In the realm of badminton, it’s rare for anyone, past or future, to play badminton at the Eiffel Tower.

“I believe this event is very special and meaningful,” said two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan.

The event, named “Paris 100 Sino-French Badminton Charity Gala”, was initiated by the Chinese legend and took place from April 17-18.

“Today marks 100 days until the Olympic Games and also this year, marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France.

“We hope, with my three former competitors who are now friends, we can take this opportunity to convey the Olympic spirit and the spirit of sports, which is essentially about perseverance and resilience,” Lin Dan added.

Discussing the Olympic Games, Lin Dan expressed confidence in the Chinese badminton players’ ability to win more than two gold medals.

He also noted the significant improvement in French badminton, particularly in men’s singles, and wished the French team success at the Olympics. — Bernama/Xinhua