Advertisement
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
This Week in AsiaPeople

Malaysia pins hopes on badminton star Lee Zii Jia to win its first Olympic gold medal

  • The 23-year-old won the All England Open in March and is seen as a medal contender in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
  • He has been compared to legendary Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei, who won three silver Olympic medals and retired in 2019

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
1
Rising Malaysian badminton star Lee Zii Jia will be one of the country’s two flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP
Ushar Daniele
When Malaysian shuttler Lee Zii Jia won the All England Open men’s singles badminton title in March this year, he boosted the hopes of a nation weary from Covid-19 pandemic gloom.
Advertisement

The 23-year-old was immediately dubbed a successor to legendary shuttler Lee Chong Wei, who set the world record for being the top player in the Badminton World Federation for 349 consecutive weeks and had won three silver Olympic medals by the time he retired in 2019.

But there are even bigger expectations for Zii Jia – bringing home Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal. Eight of the country’s 11 Olympic medals are for badminton.

 
On Tuesday, when the Olympic Council of Malaysia nominated Zii Jia as one of the country’s two flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Games in Tokyo on July 23, it said: “He represents the future generation of Olympic athletes and is also a medal hopeful.”

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) coaching director Wong Choong Hann said despite the frustrations from restricted training and tournaments, Zii Jia’s coaching team is focused on helping him strengthen his character.

“When you build strong-minded and strong-willed athletes, they will be equipped with the necessary skills to challenge titles and medals,” Wong told This Week in Asia.

Advertisement

Zii Jia’s victories against top-ranking players in the All England Open in March boosted his confidence, especially after beating Danish shuttler Victor Axelsen in the men’s singles final after previously losing to him.

Advertisement