KUALA LUMPUR – Independent men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia believes that more corporate sponsors are needed to support professional players with funding as they pursue their careers.
The 26-year-old’s response came after he received a RM100,000 incentive from 100Plus for his bronze medal-winning performance at the Paris Olympics.
Zii Jia said that it is not easy for independent shuttlers to secure funds to compete in tournaments and expressed hope that 100Plus’s initiative will serve as an eye-opener for other corporations to do the same.
“I’m actually surprised by this incentive, and I’m really grateful for the help provided by 100Plus. I hope more corporations follow suit.
“But of course, as shuttlers, we must also do our part by performing well in tournaments so that we can receive support and incentives from corporates.
“I’m thankful to 100Plus for continuing to support me even after I left BAM a couple of years ago. They have always been my pillar of support. I even told my sister, who is also my manager (Lee Zii Yii), to maintain our relationship with 100Plus.
“This initiative is a great start for professional players, as we usually use our own money for tournaments. I hope to see more initiatives like this in the future,” said Zii Jia during the 100Plus incentive ceremony at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil today.
The Super 1000 China Open marked Zii Jia’s first tournament in nearly a month, following his first-round loss at the Japan Open. He opted to skip the South Korea and Hong Kong Opens, citing mental and physical exhaustion from his Paris Olympics campaign.
His next tournament will be the Arctic Open in Finland next week.
Meanwhile, national doubles players Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who were awarded RM 150,000 by 100Plus for their bronze medal performance in Paris, echoed similar sentiments, expressing their gratitude to the beverage company.
“We are thankful for the support given by 100Plus over the past five years, and this will be a huge boost for us to perform better in our upcoming tournaments,” said Aaron.
“I sustained a minor injury in the Olympics semifinals, and due to that, I couldn’t compete in the Japan Open. Now I’ve recovered, and with this financial boost from 100Plus, I’m really motivated to do better,” added Wooi Yik.
Over the years, 100Plus has supported numerous national sports associations, major sporting events, and activities in the country.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia, the Football Association of Malaysia, and the National Sports Council are among the sports bodies that 100Plus presently supports. – October 3, 2024