How it unfolded
On August 17, 2008, the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium was packed with a home crowd, and Lin Dan was 24. He had already won back-to-back World Championships in 2006 and 2007 as world No. 1, but still carried the memory of a first-round exit at Athens 2004. His opponent was Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, in the pair's first Olympic final meeting. The match was closer to a demonstration than a contest. Lin pressed from the start with smashes and net pressure, pushing Lee toward the back of the court, took the first game 21-12 and closed the second 21-8 — under 40 minutes in all. Lee spent most rallies on defence and rarely found the counter-attacking chances that were his hallmark. After the final point, Lin tore off his shirt, threw it into the crowd, and dropped to his knees. This gold began his collection of every major title in the sport — Olympics, World Championships, All England, Thomas Cup and Sudirman Cup.
Why it still matters
This is the opening of the Lin Dan era and the moment that fixed the relationship between the two men for the following eight years. Lee would go on to reach three straight Olympic finals through 2012 and 2016, losing every one, leaving him the sport's greatest unfinished business. On home soil, China also took three of the five golds, showcasing its national academy system to the world.