KUALA LUMPUR – A large and loud crowd, capable of shaking the stadium with their cheers, can either fuel an athlete’s motivation or challenge their mental resilience, especially on the grand stage of the Olympic Games.
For world number seven in men’s singles, Lee Zii Jia, the intense atmosphere at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena was palpable, even though he easily defeated Viren Nettasinghe from Sri Lanka in their Group G match at the Paris Olympics earlier today.
Despite facing a challenge from Nettasinghe, who is ranked 70th in the world, Zii Jia secured his victory with a score of 21-12, 21-14 after a 35-minute match.
For Zii Jia, the situation is quite different compared to his debut at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, when the world was grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic and most venues were held without spectators.
Despite the challenges of communicating on the court due to the loud cheers from the audience, Zii Jia remains positive about the enthusiastic support at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, appreciating the strong encouragement given to the competing players.
“This is my first game, and I’m happy to win my first game at the Paris Olympics. It’s a good opening for me, and I think it will get better and better.
“The difference between the Tokyo Olympics and Paris is the crowd. I can feel that the vibe and environment here are very positive, and the arena is filled with spectators every day. This is a great sign for our sport.
“The crowd here makes a lot of noise, and sometimes I can’t even hear what the umpire is saying. It’s quite different from what I’m used to, but I think we need to adapt to this situation,” said Zii Jia in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation.
Earlier, the Malaysian women’s pair, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, received a standing ovation after delivering an impressive performance and defeating the two-time former world champions, Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara, in their Group A match.
Zii Jia now has a 48-hour break before returning to the court for his second match against Spain’s Pablo Abian on Wednesday.
A victory in this match would secure his place in the knockout stages, keeping him in the hunt for the gold medal.
“Of course, everyone coming to the Olympics is aiming to be on the podium. I think now I just need to calm down and not put too much pressure on myself,” he added. – July 28, 2024