Sports Club: Peter Gade

Peter Høeg Gade (born December 14, 1976 in Aalborg, Denmark), born Peter Gade Christensen, is a Danish professional badminton player. He currently resides near Charlottenlund in Copenhagen with his wife, accomplished handball player Camilla Høeg. Together they have a daughter, Nanna, born in 2004. Gade has made his mark in badminton history through his All England Open Badminton Championships singles title in 1999 and his four European Championships crowns in the men's single event. The Dane topped the world rankings from 1998 to 2001. With his 16 Grand-Prix titles, he has become one of the most successful players of all time. Into his 30s, Gade remains very active on the international circuit. On June 22, 2006, he briefly recaptured the number one spot in the world rankings. This was achieved after winning the Singapore Open and reaching the quarter-final at the Malaysia Open. His playing style is known for fast attacks, smooth footwork and constant pressure. His deception is particularly creative for a world badminton player, and he uses a widely recognised and highly successful "trademark shot" (the so-called "double action" of the racket sends the shuttle to the back of the court, while aiming to bring the player towards the net). With a plethora of deceptive shots, he has been known to win points from more outrageous attempts, such as the reverse forehand (using the opposite side of the racket head to the one anticipated, to make contact with the shuttlecock at a radically different angle). At the club level he plays for Team Skælskør Slagelse.

“I needed their support in the end,” said Gade, 34, who is immensely popular with Chinese media and badminton fans because of his talent, typical Scandinavian looks and cheerful off-court demeanour. A near-capacity crowd in the arena in Qingdao roared Gade to victory on Wednesday as he stormed back from a game down to emerge 15-21, 21-18, 22-20 over the determined Lee in a topsy-turvy affair that lasted 73 minutes. The veteran Gade clenched his fists and applauded all four sides of the stadium after his exhausting triumph. “I was under a lot of pressure and this was a difficult match for me,” he said, as Chinese media mobbed him for comment. “I was prepared for Lee but he made it very difficult in the beginning. “I almost lost it but I kept believing and I got the support in the end, and that was what mattered.” Asked why he thought he was so hugely popular in China, he pointed to the media scrum and said: “You’ll have to ask them, not me. I don’t know. This was a great game for the spectators. This might be part of the reason.