The Guangdong men's badminton team clinched the bronze medal in a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Hunan in the Men's Team bronze medal match of the 15th National Games held on November 14th in Shenzhen City, repeating their earlier triumph over the same opponents in the group stage.
Facing a 2-1 deficit and elimination, Guangdong's doubles pair of Gao Jiaxuan and Cheng Xing held their nerve in a thrilling fourth match. After comfortably taking the first game 21-15, they engaged in an epic battle in the second, which Hunan's Cui Hechen and Peng Jianqin eventually won 30-29, saving multiple match points to force a decider. Regrouping in the third game, the Guangdong duo sealed a 21-17 victory to level the team tie.
The decisive fifth match saw Guangdong's ace Lei Lanxi deliver under pressure, winning 2-1 to secure the bronze medal for his team and sparking celebrations at the sports center.
The medal caps a rollercoaster campaign for Guangdong, who earlier survived a must-win group-stage clash against Hunan on Nov. 11, lost a hard-fought semifinal to Zhejiang on Nov. 12, and ultimately replicated their crucial group-stage victory when it mattered most to finish on the podium.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Qin Shaolong
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
