Lin Dan is back to training

Two-time Olympic champion is back!  Lin Dan announced to China’s Xinhua News Agency on January 29th that he will be back to training with the national team  in a few days, and that he expects to return to competition in about two months.

“My goal is to be back in the international circuit and try to win ranking points to allow me to play in big competitions,” Lin Dan told Xinhua.  “I will first train in Lingshui for 28 days and then return to competition, but my main goal is to upgrade my ranking position,” said the Chinese star, who is currently world number 103.

This means that it is likely that the reigning World Champion will be back in competition for the second part of the year and he is likely to be seen in Superseries events again but he will not qualify for the 2014 Worlds unless he gets another wild card.

“As for Rio, I don’t want people to think I’m ‘sticking around’ – I don’t want to use that word – but if my condition allows it in two years, I do not exclude the possibility that I might participate in Rio,” he said, hinting also that he was hoping Lee Chong Wei would stay and play longer as well as finding time for his family.

Lin Dan had been out of the circuit for almost a year before returning for the World Championships thanks to a wild card given by the Badminton World Federation – he went on to win the event in August but has not since reappeared in an international tournament, although he has continued to play in both the China National Games and the China Badminton Super League.