London 2012 Olympic Games Qualification: Li Xuerui’s London calling

The final qualifying phase of the London 2012 Olympic Games has concluded on 9 July with world number 3 Li Xuerui receiving her London call-up after China turned down world number 4 Wang Shixian’s invitation.

Li Xuerui2_2012After an inconsistent second half of 2011, Wang had found herself barely hanging on to her world number 3 spot on May 3, the cut-off date of the Olympic qualification period. While Li, who was ranked 4th on May 3, was a mere 696.7 points behind Wang.

Less than a month later, the 21-year-old overtook Wang on May 31, and now sits comfortably ahead with 3944.5913 points clear.

Li held an impressive 30-match unbeaten run record between February to June this year, bagging 5 individual titles including the prestigious Yonex All-England Open title after a courageous final’s performance against world number 1 Wang Yihan.

After winning the title, Li had not dreamed of qualifying for London 2012 but consistency was to be her middle-name when she remained unbeaten to pick up her second Asian Championships title and her second OSIM BWF World Superseries title in India in April.

Li’s winning streak finally came to an end at her 6th consecutive final of the year, but only after a gruelling 65-minute battle against India’s Saina Nehwal that ended in nail-biting scores of 21-13 20-22 19-21.

22-year-old Wang Shixian, on the other hand, started the year brightly with a World Superseries Premier title in Korea but took a roller-coaster ride falling to Juliane Schenk and Saina Nehwal who are both ranked below her.

Wang had sat on the world number 1 spot for 29 weeks in 2011 but an unexpected quarter-final exit at the 2011 Yonex World Championships in London was to be her turning point as she slipped to the world number 2 spot the following week.

Wang briefly regained her world number 1 spot for 3 weeks in November, but early exits at the 2011 Yonex French Open and 2011 Li-Ning China Open meant she had to contend with ending the year in the precarious world number 3 spot.

A country can have up to 3 Olympic singles qualification berths if at least 3 players qualify in the top 4.

During the earlier qualifying phases, Maria Febe Kusumastuti (Indonesia), Jeanine Cicognini (Switzerland), Anne Hald Jensen (Greece) and Claudia Mayer (Austria) had their women’s singles invitations declined.

Indonesia, Switzerland and Austria then subsequently accepted the invitations of Adrianti Firdasari, Sabrina Jacquet and Simone Prutsch respectively.

New Zealand also turned down the invitations of Michelle Chan (women’s singles) and James Eunson (men’s singles), while Netherlands turned down the men’s singles invitation of Eric Pang. Both New Zealand and Netherlands did not receive further invitations, and their spots were offered to players in the reserve lists.

Czech Republic’s cancer-beater Petr Koukal, who benefited from Pang and Eunson’s absence, received double joy when he was also appointed his country’s Olympic flagbearer last week.

The full London 2012 qualifying lists in different phases can be viewed on this page. The ‘live’ draw ceremony will be held on 23 July, 10 am, at the Main Press Center in the Olympic Park in London.

Olympic and Paralympic News

Tokyo 2020: A Parliamentarian at the Olympics

Tokyo 2020: A Parliamentarian at the Olympics

22 July 2021
Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng Pay Tribute to ‘Cannon’ Kido

Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng Pay Tribute to ‘Cannon’ Kido

19 June 2021
History-Making Danes Thwart China – Day 6 Session 1: Rio 2016

History-Making Danes Thwart China – Day 6 Session 1: Rio 2016

16 August 2016
London 2012: Day 9 – Men’s Doubles: Careers Complete with Golden Sweep

London 2012: Day 9 – Men’s Doubles: Careers Complete with Golden Sweep

5 August 2012
London 2012: Day 9 – Men’s Singles: He’s ‘Dan’ It!

London 2012: Day 9 – Men’s Singles: He’s ‘Dan’ It!

5 August 2012
London 2012: Day 8 – Women’s Singles : Li Xuerui Repays Country’s Faith with Gold

London 2012: Day 8 – Women’s Singles : Li Xuerui Repays Country’s...

4 August 2012
London 2012: Day 8 – Women’s Doubles: Double Take for Zhao Yunlei

London 2012: Day 8 – Women’s Doubles: Double Take for Zhao Yunlei

4 August 2012
London 2012: Day 8 – Men’s Doubles Semis: Korea’s Loss is Denmark’s Gain

London 2012: Day 8 – Men’s Doubles Semis: Korea’s Loss is Denmark’s...

4 August 2012
London 2012: Day 7 – Men’s Singles Semis: Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei in Golden Showdown

London 2012: Day 7 – Men’s Singles Semis: Lin Dan, Lee Chong...

3 August 2012
London 2012: Day 7 – Zhang-Zhao Tops World of Mixed Doubles

London 2012: Day 7 – Zhang-Zhao Tops World of Mixed Doubles

3 August 2012
London 2012: Day 7 – Women’s Singles Semis: Wang Yihan Routs Nehwal

London 2012: Day 7 – Women’s Singles Semis: Wang Yihan Routs Nehwal

3 August 2012
London 2012: Day 6 – Session 3: Lin Dan, Chong Wei in Semi-finals

London 2012: Day 6 – Session 3: Lin Dan, Chong Wei in...

2 August 2012
London 2012: Day 6 – Session 2: China Assured of Mixed Doubles Gold

London 2012: Day 6 – Session 2: China Assured of Mixed Doubles...

2 August 2012
London 2012: Day 6 – Session 1: Four Countries Eye Men’s Doubles Gold

London 2012: Day 6 – Session 1: Four Countries Eye Men’s Doubles...

2 August 2012
London 2012: Day 5 – Session 3: Great Medal Expectations for Saina

London 2012: Day 5 – Session 3: Great Medal Expectations for Saina

1 August 2012
London 2012: Day 5 – Session 2: Juliane Schenk Crashes Out to Ratchanok

London 2012: Day 5 – Session 2: Juliane Schenk Crashes Out to...

1 August 2012
London 2012: Day 5 – Session 1: Final Bow for European Greats

London 2012: Day 5 – Session 1: Final Bow for European Greats

1 August 2012
London 2012: Koreans’ Appeal Rejected; Indonesia’s Withdrawn

London 2012: Koreans’ Appeal Rejected; Indonesia’s Withdrawn

1 August 2012
London 2012: Four Pairs Disqualified

London 2012: Four Pairs Disqualified

1 August 2012
London 2012: Badminton Players to Answer Charges

London 2012: Badminton Players to Answer Charges

1 August 2012
London 2012: Day 4 – Session 3: Lee Yong Dae Looking to ‘Double Up’

London 2012: Day 4 – Session 3: Lee Yong Dae Looking to...

31 July 2012
London 2012: Day 4 – Session 2: Cordon Creates Continental History

London 2012: Day 4 – Session 2: Cordon Creates Continental History

31 July 2012
London 2012: Day 4 – Session 1: Chinese Doubly Surprised!

London 2012: Day 4 – Session 1: Chinese Doubly Surprised!

31 July 2012
London 2012: Day 3 – Session 3: Korea’s Top Guns Bow Out

London 2012: Day 3 – Session 3: Korea’s Top Guns Bow Out

30 July 2012
London 2012: Day 3 – Session 2: Injury Pulls Poles Apart

London 2012: Day 3 – Session 2: Injury Pulls Poles Apart

30 July 2012
London 2012: Day 3 – Session 1: Olympics Gets Even Better for Sri Lankan Flag Bearer

London 2012: Day 3 – Session 1: Olympics Gets Even Better for...

30 July 2012
London 2012: Day 2 – Session 3: Chinese Focused on Golden Finale to Careers

London 2012: Day 2 – Session 3: Chinese Focused on Golden Finale...

29 July 2012
London 2012: Day 2 – Session 2: Beware the Baby-Faced Assassins

London 2012: Day 2 – Session 2: Beware the Baby-Faced Assassins

29 July 2012
London 2012: Day 2 – Session 1: Brits Going Home from the London Olympics

London 2012: Day 2 – Session 1: Brits Going Home from the...

29 July 2012
London 2012: Day 1 – Session 3: Australians’ Fighting Spirit to the Fore

London 2012: Day 1 – Session 3: Australians’ Fighting Spirit to the...

28 July 2012
London 2012: Day 1 – Session 2: Anu ‘Finnish-ed’ Losing at Olympics

London 2012: Day 1 – Session 2: Anu ‘Finnish-ed’ Losing at Olympics

28 July 2012
London 2012: Day 1 – Session 1: Russians Surprise British Hopefuls

London 2012: Day 1 – Session 1: Russians Surprise British Hopefuls

28 July 2012
London 2012: Weight of Country and Continent on Schenk’s Shoulders

London 2012: Weight of Country and Continent on Schenk’s Shoulders

27 July 2012
London 2012: Lin Dan: ‘I was just an ordinary kid like anyone else’

London 2012: Lin Dan: ‘I was just an ordinary kid like anyone...

27 July 2012
London 2012: Lee Chong Wei takes on ghost of Wembley

London 2012: Lee Chong Wei takes on ghost of Wembley

27 July 2012
London 2012: Another Starry Accomplishment in Li Lingwei’s Brilliant Career

London 2012: Another Starry Accomplishment in Li Lingwei’s Brilliant Career

26 July 2012
London 2012: BWF President Hails ‘Worthy Recognition’ For  Sir Craig Reedie

London 2012: BWF President Hails ‘Worthy Recognition’ For Sir Craig Reedie

26 July 2012
London 2012: Self-belief breathes new life into Kashyap

London 2012: Self-belief breathes new life into Kashyap

26 July 2012
London 2012: Brother and sister create badminton history

London 2012: Brother and sister create badminton history

26 July 2012
Robertson lights up Wembley Arena with Olympic torch

Robertson lights up Wembley Arena with Olympic torch

25 July 2012
London 2012: Cai and Fu: Seeking the missing piece to their collection

London 2012: Cai and Fu: Seeking the missing piece to their collection

24 July 2012
London 2012: Olympic Games LIVE DRAW

London 2012: Olympic Games LIVE DRAW

23 July 2012
London 2012 Lilyana Natsir: The key to Indonesia’s golden hopes

London 2012 Lilyana Natsir: The key to Indonesia’s golden hopes

19 July 2012
London 2012: World Championships bronze inspires Ponnappa

London 2012: World Championships bronze inspires Ponnappa

16 July 2012
London 2012: India’s chief strategist plots London game plan

London 2012: India’s chief strategist plots London game plan

15 July 2012
London 2012: ‘Czech’ out Petr in Opening Ceremony – badminton’s gritty warrior leads country

London 2012: ‘Czech’ out Petr in Opening Ceremony – badminton’s gritty warrior...

12 July 2012
London 2012: Malaysia’s golden boy still hunting for titles

London 2012: Malaysia’s golden boy still hunting for titles

29 June 2012