BEIJING - Defending champion Zhang Ning, at the age of 33, retained her women's singles title of the badminton tournament of the Beijing Olympic Games here on Saturday.

Zhang Ning of China celebrates after winning her women's singles final badminton match against her compatriot world No.1 Xie Xingfang at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, August 16, 2008.  Zhang beat Xie 21-12, 10-21, 21-18. [Xinhua]

Zhang won the title by beating world No.1 and her teammate Xie Xingfang 21-12, 10-21, 21-18.

"I have never stopped dreaming of standing on the medals podium, " Zhang said after the match.

It is a duel of will and courage instead of skills as both were on the verge of exhaustion following days of fierce fights against the world's top players.

Zhang intensified attacks while Xie made wrong judgments after the two reached 5-5 in the first game, ending the first game 21-12. Xie revenged in the second game and achieved a good start at 5-0. She had since taking the lead until the game ended.

In the decisive game, both used rackets to support their bodies amid intervals of the competition, which was a sign of limits of physical energy. They were 16-16 at one time, but Zhang was more persistent afterwards.

Zhang burst into tears as the last returning shuttlecock from Xie touched the net and fell to the ground of Xie's half.

"I thought once that I might not make it when Xie was keeping up with me in the third game. I was so tired," said Zhang. She said earlier that she wanted to have a second Olympic gold. "So I can have some sweet memories for myself."

Xie, on her part, said both played well in the match while Zhang was better on speed. "I had to defense all the time."

Xie said it was acceptable either of them winning the gold, but admitted she was disappointed over the defeat because she was unlikely to play in the London Olympic Games.

"Zhang and Xie presented the world a most wonderful match," said Li Yongbo, head coach of the Chinese national badminton team.

Zhang put her gold medal on the neck of coach Lee Yongbo when they took a souvenir photo. She said "I could have chosen to retire if without the support from my coach."

It was also hard for chanting spectators in the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium to believe that the veteran who stood in the spotlight had survived a ten-year period of depression at her prime age.

In the Uber Cup final in 1994, Zhang was dispatched as the third single to fight against Mia Audina, a badminton prodigy from Indonesia when the final was tied at 2-2.

However, the then 19-year-old Chinese girl, surrendering to the huge mental pressure and enormous home advantage of Indonesia, was defeated by Mia and thus yielded the Uber Cup to Indonesia.

As a result of the heart-breaking defeat, she faded into obscurity in the Chinese national team, outshone by her peers like Ye Zhaoyin, Han Jingna, and younger players, such as Olympic champion Gong Zhichao, world champion Gong Ruina.

But the indomitable fighter never had been overcome by all the adversities she faced. Ten-year solid training made her explode at the 2003 World Championships in Birmingham, Britain, where she claimed her first world title at the age of 28.

One year later, Zhang took a sweet revenge in the final at Athens Olympics over Mia Audina who represented the Netherlands after married to a Dutch gospel singer, and pocketed the gold medal for China.

At the Beijing Olympic Games, Zhang has said many times she had no problems with physical energy. "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.

Li Yongbo joked that he would suggest Zhang Ning play one more Olympic Games.

"It is really a miracle for Zhang Ning to retain the Olympic gold. Her entrance to the Beijing Olympic Games was even in doubt two months ago," Li Yongbo said. "Maybe this is the beauty of Olympiad."