Young gun Jason Gunawan sets sights on winning Olympic gold for Hong Kong
- The 16-year-old is the youngest ever men’s singles Hong Kong champion
- Gunawan watched Lin Dan win 2008 Olympic title and told himself he would become a champion like the mainlander
Outside of Hong Kong there is badminton legend Tony Gunawan, the 2000 Sydney Olympic men’s doubles champion of Indonesia.
Here in Hong Kong there is 16-year-old Jason Gunawan, a fast-rising talent now setting his sights on becoming another Olympic gold-medal winner like his namesake.
“When I watched Lin Dan play against Lee Chong-Wei in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games thrilling final, I told myself that one day I would become an Olympic champion like Lin,” said Gunawan, who became the youngest ever Hong Kong badminton champion when he defeated 21-year-old national teammate Chan Yin-chak in the men’s singles final, just three months after becoming a full-time athlete. He also knocked out Hong Kong No 1 Angus Ng Ka-long in the semi-finals of the tournament.
Gunawan was only four years old when he watched that famous clash on live television between the two greatest players of their era. Lin clinched the gold in Beijing and won back-to-back Olympics titles after defeating Lee again in London four years later. So far, the retired Chinese star is the only player that has won the title twice.
Lin, 37, had plans to take part in his fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo but his dream was shattered as the pandemic-delayed Games will not take place until the summer of 2021, and he announced his retirement from the sport in July.