If you’re a fan of badminton and its competitive scene, there’s no way you haven’t heard of Lee Chong Wei.
In fact, if you’re one of those who just casually watch the Olympics every 4 years, you’d still have taken notice of this legendary Malaysian pro badminton player who is nearly unstoppable.
His rivalry with Lin Dan of China is almost as famous as the players themselves, stretching over 40 matches and is considered the greatest badminton rivalry of all time. It even has a Wikipedia page dedicated to it. You can read up more here.
After a long break from the competitive scene of almost a year, fans were hoping for his return, knowing that a long break like this would likely have meant one possibility.
Unfortunately, during a press conference on 13 June 2019, he confirmed that possibility.
Retirement Of A Legend
At a crowded press conference at the Menara KBS in Putrajaya, Lee Chong Wei announced his official retirement after 19 years of glory.
The triple Olympic silver medallist thanked everyone part of his journey, including KBS (Ministry of Youth and Sports), ISN (National Sports Institute), his coaches Datuk Misbun Sidek, Datuk Tey Seu Bock, his wife, Wong Mew Choo, (a former badminton player who won two SEA Games singles golds), his two young sons, Kingston and Terrance, and all Malaysians.
He also added that he planned to rest at home to spend time with his family, as well as going the honeymoon owed since his marriage in 2012.
Health Issues
The rationale behind this decision appeared to be due to health concerns. “It was a tough decision to make but I was left with no option after my recent consultation with doctors in Japan last month”, he said.
“I was given eight questionnaires to answer about my conditions and the outcome came out to show that I’m not fit to do high-intensity activities. So it’s not suitable for me to exert myself for the sake of my health.”
It is also believed that this decision was made to avoid a relapse of cancer after being diagnosed with and treated for nasal cancer last year.
Track Record
Besides clinching 3 Olympic silver medals, he also finished runner-up thrice at the World Championships in London (2011), Guangzhou (2013) and Jakarta (2015). Out of the 6 matches, 4 were lost to his rival, Lin Dan. The other 2 were to Chinese legend Chen Long.
Due to his break and thus his one-year ranking protection privilege expiring imminently, his ranking will plummet and render him ineligible for top-tier World Tour tournaments.
Despite these, Lee Chong Wei remains a legend who has etched his name into the history pages of professional badminton forever.
His legacy will be eternally honoured – there’s even a biopic made which showcases his journey.
Even before his press conference began, tributes have been flowing in on Twitter with the hashtag #TQChongWei to thank him for his contribution to both the sport and the country.
Time to say a proper big thank you to our hero, Datuk @LeeChongWei . #TQChongWei for everything you’ve done for our country. @501Awani @ASTROARENA pic.twitter.com/1CK8jvnpNv
— Ashwad Ismail AWANI (@ashwadismail) June 12, 2019
I think I can speak for all of us who watched the legend in action.
#TQChongWei
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