Kuala Lumpur: As 2016 rolls to an end, BadmintonPlanet.com looks back at the top 10 badminton moments of 2016. Our list doesn’t necessarily contain every great moment for every champion, but the moments that best defined the year in badminton or introduced us to the stars of tomorrow.
With that in mind, here are the Top 10 stories from 2016, in descending countdown order, as chosen by BadmintonPlanet.com.
10. Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong, Viktor Axelsen win Destination Dubai World Super Series Finals
9. Malaysia win 3 silver medals in Rio Olympics.
- Chen Long wins Olympic gold, Lee Chong Wei deserves great respect!
- Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong waste match points to hand Olympic gold to Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan
- Rio 2016: Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying in mixed doubles final
8. Lee Chong Wei finds his Wei back to world No. 1 spot
7. Breaking up is hard to do? Apparently not for these doubles duos.
6. Goodbye to All Them: The Players Who Retired in 2016.
- Lee Yong Dae ends career on high note
- Cai Yun officially retired from badminton
- Wang Shixian, Tang Yuanting, Wang Zhengming & 4 others retire from Chinese team
- Wang Yihan retires from Badminton
5. Carsten Mogensen’s miracle recovery from brain surgery.
- Carsten Mogensen stable after brain surgery
- Carsten Mogensen remains in Russian hospital
- Carsten Mogensen: I survived ‘toughest fight of my life’
4. Illegal gambling scandal involving Kento Momota & Kenichi Tago
- Kento Momota may be banned from Olympics over illegal gambling
- Kento Momota, Kenichi Tago issue apologies for visiting illegal casino
- More fallout from Kento Momota’s gambling scandal
3. Thomas Cup & Uber Cup were the most exciting badminton team events in 2016
- Denmark stun Indonesia 3-2 to complete Thomas Cup fairy tale
- Great Wall crumbles as Korea beat China 3-1 in Thomas Cup quarters
- China beat Korea 3-1 to win 14th Uber Cup crown
2. Anger, sadness, contempt, surprise and happiness of Rio Olympics.
- Lee Chong Wei beats Lin Dan in three-set epic
- Lee Chong Wei vs Chen Long gold medal match most-watched Rio Olympic event in China
- Yu Yang throws her towel during the Rio Olympics bronze medal playoff
1. Lin Dan tops the 2016 list for all the wrong reasons.
- Lin Dan gets caught cheating on the pregnant Xie Xingfang
- Xie Xingfang stands by Lin Dan after cheating allegations
- Lin Dan admits affair, issues apology to his family
