Right after Worlds, Lin Dan in back-to-back fights for 4th consecutive national crown

TIANJIN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese star shuttler Lin Dan will continue to build on his legend status by fighting for his fourth consecutive men's singles gold medal at the National Games when the badminton event will start on Wednesday, only three days after his World Championships loss to Denmark's Viktor Axelsen.

The 33-year-old badminton great, widely regarded as the greatest singles player of all time, had to settle for silver after losing 20-22, 16-21 in the final to Axelsen, a shuttler ten years his junior. But Lin, the two-time Olympic and five-time world champion has already proved his enduring mettle making his seventh World Championship final.

After the World Championships, Lin and his Chinese teammates came back directly from Glasgow, Scotland to Tianjin, 140 kilometers southeast of Beijing, the host city of China's 13th National Games.

Lin is always dominant in the National Games, held every four years. He has participated in four National Games since 2001 and entered all of the four men's singles finals. He won gold medals in 2005, 2009 and 2013, and will fight for a fourth consecutive crown at the Games for yet another record.

Many people expected Lin to retire after last summer's Rio Olympics, where he surrendered his title and lost the bronze medal match to Axelsen. But Lin shows he is still hungry for more victories.

This year at the Malaysia Open, he toppled 11-time Malaysian champion Lee Chong Wei to claim his first title in Lee's homeland.

Although he has been below his best in recent years, Lin has shown that he can prove himself the master on big occasions when it matters most.

In reply to those sceptical about his physical condition, Lin had this comeback at the World's final.

"I will be 34 this year. I cannot see any other player who has made the World Championships final at my age. I'm in good condition and I'm happy with my campaign," he said.

Lin also dismissed any speculations about his retirement. "I will play in the Chinese National Games and then the Japan Open. I have been making very good preparation for this competition and I have showed that I am still strong enough physically."

The National Games, billed as China's mini-Olympics, has long been a fierce battlefield for the participants. Besides Lin, Rio Olympic gold medalists Chen Long, Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan, newly-crowned world champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, and other shuttlers who have recently retired from international competition such as Wang Yihan and Wang Shixian will represent their respective home provinces or municipalities in the country's premier sporting event.

The National Games badminton competition includes men and women's team events, singles and doubles events. According to the draw, Lin will have a possible clash with Chen in the semifinals of the men's singles.

Chen was also defeated by Axelsen in the semifinals of the World Championships. However, this year he won the Badminton Asia Championships, beating Lin in the final and led China into the Sudirman Cup final. Four years ago at the National Games, Chen had a lackluster performance as he only reached the quarterfinals in the men's singles.