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Badminton

Chinese name and literal translation: 羽毛球 yumaoqiu (feather-hair ball)

Anyone who has visited a park in China on a sunny day knows that badminton is a hugely popular sport. Couples young and old enjoy it as a way to relax and get a little exercise, and groups of friends meet for more spirited competition.

It is one of China's most popular leisure sports, but badminton is also serious business. Sporting apparel chain 361 has staked much of its marketing on the national team, with 2004 gold medalist Lin Dan as its main pitchman. The dominant national team goes into the 2008 Olympics with high expectations; anything less than a heap of medals will be seen as a disappointment.

Chinese players dominate the world rankings, especially in the women's game where China holds the top three singles spots and the top four doubles. But in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics, that dominance was challenged. At 2007's IBF Super Series China Open, the team had its worst performance in 14 years, taking just two of the competition's five titles. Xie Xingfang, the world's number one women's singles player, suffered the team's biggest upset losing the finals to Malaysia's Wong Mew Choo.

History in China:

When badminton made its Olympic debut in Barcelona in 1992, China won just one medal, which happened to be a gold. In the next three Olympic games, it won seven more, making it the world's leader in Olympic gold medals. At the 2004 games in Athens, China racked up five of 15 medals, including three out of five golds.

Going into the 2008 games, Dan Lin was the world's top men's player and Xie Xingfang the top women's player. In 2006, the pair, also rumored to be a couple off the court, won the world championship in mixed doubles.

Players to watch:
Lin Dan is the number one men's player in the world as of early 2008. His teammates Bao Chunlai and Chen Jin are ranked three and four, respectively. Among the women, Chinese players occupy the world's top four rankings: Xie Xingfang, Zhang Ning, Lu Lan and Zhu Lin.

Olympic venue: Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium

Athens 2004 medal count:
3 gold (women's doubles, men's doubles, women's singles)
1 silver (women's doubles)
1 bronze (women's singles)

Sport Organizations:
International Badminton Federation

Athletes:
Bao Chunlai 鲍春来
Chen Jin 陈金
Fu Haifeng 付海峰
Gao Ling 高崚
Lin Dan 林丹
Xie Xingfang 谢杏芳
Zhang Ning 张宁
Zheng Bo 郑波