Zhang Ning secures one badminton gold for China at Beijing Olympics

在刚刚结束的羽毛球女子单打第二场半决赛中，中国选手张宁以2：0战胜印尼选手尤利安蒂晋级决赛，她在决赛中将与队友谢杏芳相遇。中国队实际上已经把羽毛球女子单打金牌提前收入囊中。

谢杏芳在此前进行的第一场半决赛中苦战三局，以2：1战胜队友卢兰晋级决赛。

Chinese shuttler Zhang Ning beat Maria Kristin Yulianti from Indonesia here on Friday at the women's singles semifinals, securing the gold of the event for China at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Zhang beat Yulianti 21-15, 21-15. Just before the match, top seed and Zhang's teammate Xie Xingfang defeated Lu Lan, also from China, to check into the final.

"I did it! I have told myself two years ago that an Olympic gold medal was good, but securing the gold for Chinese was above all," said Zhang Ning after the match.

Zhang, 33, said she was exhausted after Friday's match. "I said after the previous matches that I had no problems with stamina. Actually I lied to myself so as not to lose confidence."

"How could an athlete at my age be as energetic as those in their twenties?" Zhang said.

The defending Olympic champion said she would do her best to fight Xie in the final, "so I can have some sweet memories for myself."