Lee Zii Jia doubled Malaysia’s medal tally at the Paris Olympic Games when he won the badminton men’s singles bronze medal after defeating India’s Lakshya Sen 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena today.
Lee’s bronze was his first Olympic medal. He is the third men’s singles player to win a badminton medal after Rashid Sidek (bronze, 1996) and Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who won three silvers in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
Lee only reached the Round of 16 in his debut at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
His bronze comes a day after Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik defeated Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 16-21, 22-20, 21-19. Malaysia has two bronze medals after 11 days of competition.
Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah created history by becoming the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to reach an Olympic Games badminton semifinal, but unfortunately, failed to win a medal in France.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which took place a year later due to Covid-19, Malaysia only won one bronze through Chia and Soh.
Malaysia’s next medal hope is cyclist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, who will compete in the individual sprint event on Aug 7 before focusing on the Keirin on Aug 10.
Known as the ‘Pocket Rocketman’, Azizulhasni won bronze and silver in the Keirin at the 2016 Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, respectively.
Joining him in the sprint and keirin events is Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom. Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri will also compete in both events in the women’s division.
Aug 7 will be a busy day for Malaysia, as besides cycling, other athletes who will be in action are female golfer Ashley Lau, diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri (women’s 3m springboard), and weightlifter Mohamad Aniq Kasdan (61kg category).
Another diver, Bertrand Rhodict Lises, competes in the men’s 10m platform on Aug 9.
With less than a week until the closing ceremony, 19 of our 26 national athletes – Ariana Nur Dania Mohamad Zairi, Syaqiera Mashayikh, Nurul Azreena Fazil (archery), Muhammad Azeem Fahmi (athletics), Lee, Goh Jin Wei, Chia-Soh, Tan-Thinaah, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (badminton), Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir (cycling), Gavin Kyle Green (golf), sailors Nur Shazrin Mohamad Latif and Khairulnizam Affendy, Johnathan Wong Guanjie (shooting), Khiew Hoe Yean and Tan Rouxin (swimming) – have completed their events.
