Unseeded Indonesian Taufik Hidayat produced a silky display which oozed class and confidence to win the gold medal in the Olympic men's singles badminton here Saturday.
A quarter-finalist at the Sydney Games, Taufik overpowered South Korean seventh seed Shon Seung-Mo 15-8, 15-7 in the final in 44 absorbing minutes at a packed and noisy Goudi Complex. Eighth seed Soni Dwi Kuncoro ensured a double celebration for Indonesia by taking the bronze.
Frozen by nerves and the weight of expectation of hopeful Indonesians, Taufik was 7-1 down in the opening game and looked as if he might fold under the pressure.
But the temperamental 23-year-old, who has a reputation for blowing his lid when things don't go his way, steadied his nerves after a shaky start, pounding Shon into submission with his trademark leaping smashes and crafty drop-shots.
Taufik was comforted by his coach Mulyo Handoyo at the end of a gripping contest as he let go of his emotions in a flood of tears.
Celebrating his first win in Europe, Taufik admitted he was suffering from stage fright as Shon shot into a six-point lead. "I was very nervous because I knew that all of Indonesia was watching me and were expecting me to win," he said.
"But I always felt in my heart that I had the will to win and that I could take the gold."
Taufik, who two years ago came very close to playing for Singapore after falling out with the Indonesian badminton association before performing a dramatic U-turn, heaped praise on Mulyo for helping him to calm his volatile temper.
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