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Lin Dan
The two-time Olympic badminton champion and five-time world champion known as "Super Dan" — a legend of the sport
Concluded — Lin Dan won two Olympic gold medals and five world championships — widely regarded as the greatest badminton player ever. He retired in 2020 after a 20-year national team career.
Lin Dan was born in 1983 in China and is widely regarded as the greatest badminton player of all time. He won two Olympic gold medals (2008 and 2012) and five world championships, a record that earned him the nickname "Super Dan."
His ferocious attacking game, blistering speed and mental toughness made him almost unbeatable at his peak. Lin Dan dominated men's badminton for more than a decade, and his rivalry with Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat — an earlier great of the sport — was one of the most celebrated in badminton history.
Lin Dan retired in 2020 after 20 years in the national team, leaving a legacy as the sport's defining player. He remains an icon of Chinese sport.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1983, China
- Olympic gold
- 2008, 2012
- World championships
- 5
- Nickname
- "Super Dan"
- Rivalry
- Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia)
- Retired
- 2020
- Legacy
- Greatest badminton player ever
Sources
- Lin Dan - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-05)
- Lin Dan retires from international badminton — Reuters (2026-09-05)
Related: taufik hidayat · rafael nadal