Lee Zii Jia, the Malaysian men’s singles badminton player, is cautiously optimistic about his quest for a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics. Despite being hopeful for Malaysia’s first Olympic gold, Zii Jia is determined not to put undue pressure on himself.
The world number seven celebrated his first win in Paris by comfortably defeating Sri Lanka’s Viren Nettasinghe 21-14, 21-12 in Group G.
“I’m happy to have won the first match at the Paris Olympics. This is a good start and I hope my game will get better after this,” Zii Jia said in an interview with the BWF. “I know everyone wants to climb the podium at the Olympics, so now I just try to stay calm and not put pressure on myself.”
Reflecting on the differences between the Tokyo and Paris Games, Zii Jia noted the impact of the audience: “The main difference between Tokyo and Paris is the audience. I can feel the positive aura and atmosphere here in Paris. So far, every day the stadium is filled with spectators, and it is a good sign for the sport of badminton. However, there were times when the crowd’s cheers were so loud that I couldn’t hear what the referee was saying. It was very different from anything I had experienced before. So, I need to adapt to this situation.”
With his first victory under his belt, Zii Jia aims to continue improving his performance while maintaining a calm and focused mindset amidst the Olympic excitement.
Credit Photo : OCM
