Preview: 'Super Dan' aims for treble at China's NationalGames( Xinhua) 21:01, August 30, 2013 Chinese superstar Lin Dan, who took the badminton world title for the fifth time early thismonth, is aiming for his third consecutive crown in China's National Games starting onSunday.
Lin, 29, known as "Super Dan", will compete in the men's singles and the men's teamevents in the country's biggest multi-sport gala, representing the delegation of the People'sLiberation Army (PLA).
Lin won the gold medals in 2005 and 2009 editions of the Games. This year he is still hotfavourite as he returned in style at the Guangzhou world championships after a year on thesidelines, taking the title again after his arch rival Lee Chong Wei was stretchered off thecourt in the third set of the final.
The National Games, billed as China's mini-Olympics, has long been a fierce battlefield forthose participants. Good results at the Games are regarded as achievements of provincialsport bureaus and medal winners usually reap greater rewards than the internationalcompetitions.
In the men's singles, Lin stays on course to meet world No. 2 Chen Long from FujianProvince if both make it to the final after being placed in opposite halves of the draw.
The promising star Chen beat Lee of Malaysia to take the All England title in March, butlost to Lin in the quarterfinals of the world championships in two tough sets.
Women's singles Olympic champion Li Xuerui also plays for the PLA delegation at theGames. The world No. 1 lost to Thai star Ratchanok Intanon in the final of the worldchampionships this year.
Wang Yihan and Wang Shixian, who are No. 5 and No. 7 in the women's singles rankings,are also hot favourites in the event.
（Editor：DuMingming、Liang Jun） Related reading
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