KUALA LUMPUR – Should men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia consider bringing in additional experts to bolster his quest for gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?
As a former Asian champion, this decision could be crucial if he aims to remain a formidable contender over the next four years.
At the Paris Olympics, which concluded last Sunday, Zii Jia made history as the first professional badminton player from Malaysia to win a medal at the world’s biggest sporting event.
Although he did not achieve his goal of winning gold, his success in securing a bronze medal after defeating India’s Lakshya Sen is commendable.
Even more impressive is how the Kedah-born player exemplified the true spirit of a professional athlete by establishing his own team, Team LZJ, and securing funding to support his career without relying on government assistance.
However, as competition in the badminton world grows fiercer, even the smallest edge can be the decisive factor that separates victory from defeat on the court.
Speaking to Scoop, Lee Zii Jia’s manager, Lee Zii Yi, said that adding more support staff will only be feasible with additional funding from sponsors. However, they have not yet addressed this possibility.
“To expand or not, it depends on the budget. We haven’t decided yet, but now that the Paris Olympics are over, we’ll sit down and conduct a post-mortem to craft a solid plan moving forward.
“I definitely have to thank our current sponsors, Victor, LG and 100 Plus, and those who supported us before. We’re truly grateful for them because, without their backing, we wouldn’t have come this far,” said Zii Yii, who is also Zii Jia’s sister.
Currently, Zii Jia is supported not only by his manager and his coach, Wong Tat Meng, but also by physiotherapist Rayvadee Rattanakthada, strength and conditioning coach Lim Joe Heng and sparring partner Lee Shun Yang.
When asked if Team LZJ might consider bringing in a mental coach to enhance Zii Jia’s mental resilience both on and off the court, Zii Yi explained that this is a technical matter handled by Tat Meng.
“Regarding the possibility of bringing in a mental coach, I can’t comment much as this is very technical and would require Coach Tat Meng’s input.
“However, every player has different needs, so we need to sit down and determine what additional support we can provide for Zii Jia,” she added.
For the record, national players under the Badminton Association of Malaysia have received psychological support from expert Frederik Tan to bolster their campaign in Paris.
Frederik’s involvement proved invaluable, aiding the women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, in advancing from a challenging group stage to reach the bronze medal match.
Similarly, the men’s doubles team, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, staged an impressive comeback to deny the Danish pair, Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, a bronze medal in Paris. – August 18, 2024