Lee Chong Wei, a highly significant figure in the Malaysian sports scene, is often regarded as a national hero. His status as national hero is attributed to the perseverance and excellence he has shown in badminton. Lee started from humble beginnings in Perak, Malaysia where his passion for badminton was first ignited, creating the legend we all know today.
His accomplishments are many and only possible due to the hard work he put in his training to be successful, he rose through the ranks and was part of the national football team. It’ll be good to note that, for 349 weeks, he was the world’s best badminton player.
During his career, he won a predominance of international titles, including three Olympic medals. In this article, we will go through each and everything there is to know about the legend and how he rose to become such an incredible and unforgettable athlete.
Early Life and Beginnings
As we mentioned, Lee Chong Wei was born into humble beginnings on October 21, 1982 in BaganSerai, Perak, Malaysia. Much of his love for sports can be attributed to his parents Lee Ah Chai and Kim Choi. He has noted a couple times that his parents were very supportive of him. He initially gravitated towards basketball, but he switched to badminton at age 11 because his mother was concerned about him playing under the scorching hot Malaysian sun.
As you can rightly guess, the decision to crossover was a major turning point in his life. Lee’s father also played a very important role in his success. When Lee’s mother pointed out that he should switch, his father had to take him to a hall where he was discovered by local coach Teh Peng Huat who requested to train Lee, and Lee’s father gave his consent.
Lee was a natural talent, and it wasn’t long before his dedication and natural ability shone through and at the age of 17 his talent caught the eye of Misbun Sidek, a former Malaysian star who was at the time developing young Malaysian talent. Sidek drafted him into the national squad and this was an immense opportunity to train with the best in the country.
Lee continued to develop his talent under Sidek’s guidance. It is noted that Sidek pushed him to his limits. Lee’s training regimen included sparring against three opponents simultaneously, thereby pushing him to constantly improve and strive for excellence in all areas.
Rise to Prominence
At first Lee struggled to make a significant impact on the international scene and he only picked up one minor title in 2002 and 2003. He even struggled in the 2007 season where his performance was quite inconsistent and consisted of several early exits from several tournaments and the young man even suffered a disappointing third round loss at the World Championships.
These setbacks were instrumental to building the mental strength and perseverance that we currently attribute with the legend. He was not without support though, his coach and family were in full support of him throughout this period. Lee’s breakthrough in the international scene can be traced back in 2003 where he got to his first major tournament final at the Malaysia Open. Although he lost to China’s Chen Hong, the experience was a major stepping stone.
He climbed up the rankings as a rising star, winning the Malaysia Open in 2004 before taking the title at the Chinese Taipei Open also that year. One of our hero’s biggest milestones was in 2006 when he first made the number one world ranking. He would repeat this feat numerous times throughout his career though, that wasn’t going to be the last.
By 2008 the name Lee Chong Wei became a household name and he was consistently ranked among the top players in the world and he successfully established himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Dominance in Badminton
It is undeniable that Lee was one of the most dominant players during his era. He had a multitude of international titles and extended periods at the top of the world ranking. One record he will always be remembered for is his record of holding the world number one ranking for 349 weeks. He also had a consecutive 199 week streak from August 21, 2008 to June 14, 2012.
Many athletes in Malaysia can find inspiration in this national hero, who was the fifth Malaysian to reach the top ranking, but he didn’t stop at that as he broke the record of his successors by being the only Malaysian to hold it for more than a year.
His dominance can be summed up by just rankings, he is also a highly decorated athlete with the following records:
- 69 international titles won during his career.
- 12 Malaysia Open titles.
- 5 Commonwealth Games titles.
- 2 Asian Championships titles.
The titles he gathered across various competitions is more than enough proof that he can perform great at the highest levels of badminton across various competitions. He is a strong player no matter the stage.
As with all greats, he had a rival who pushed him to the heights of success. Lee’s rival in this case was Lin Dan who is another badminton great. Their rivalry usually extended to the finals of major tournaments as they both captivated millions of fans worldwide. These legends faced each other in five Olympic and 10 World championship finals, with Lin Dan emerging victorious in these matches. Although Lee didn’t win these encounters, his ability to stand toe-to-toe and challenge Lin is quite commendable.
Lee’s playing style was one that included exceptional speed, agility and tactical intelligence. He had lightning-fast footwork and quick reflexes which were major problems for his opponent’s. He also was a master at dropshots and usually caught his opponents off guard with precise shots.
Challenges and Comebacks
We have discussed the level of dominance which Lee Chong Wei stats had on badminton but we would be lying if we said it all came easy for him. He faced many challenges which he had to overcome to be able to compete at the highest level.
We already mentioned his arch-rival, Lin Dan, but there is one more, Chen Long. These two gave him some of his most significant challenges, especially in major tournament finals. He lost to Lin Dan in the finals of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and to Chen Long in the 2016 Olympic finals. These losses shouldn’t make you underestimate his skills. It only proves that he faced a calibre of competition that was unlike any other, and he had to overcome all these on his journey to the pinnacle of the sport.
Beyond sporting defeats, Lee Chong Wei also faced health challenges. He was diagnosed with early-stage nose cancer in 2018, and this news forced him to withdraw from the World Championships and Asian Games. The diagnosis put his career in serious jeopardy, and he had to undergo a period of treatment and recovery that must have been extremely difficult.
Despite these setbacks, which could have broken down even the strongest of men, Lee Chong Wei showed resilience throughout his career by showing everyone that he could stand the test of 1000 men and never lose his fighting spirit. Even after the nose cancer diagnosis, he tried to return to the competition and participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. His doctor advised him to prioritise his health and avoid a potential relapse, which forced him to make the difficult decision to retire in 2019 to prioritise his health.
He eventually announced his retirement after a 19-year international career leaving behind a legacy as a true legend of the sport. Even in retirement, Lee Chong Wei continued to contribute to the sport. He was Malaysia’s chef de mission for the 2020 Summer Olympics but he had to serve the role virtually due to his health issues.
Legacy and Impact
Lee Chong Wei is an athlete whose impact extends far beyond his on-court accomplishments. We see him as a national hero in Malaysia, and it is quite clear that he has united the country on several occasions with his sporting achievements. He has shown a lot of compassion by giving back to the community in many philanthropic activities in which he has played major roles. Here are some of the ways he has left his impact on the society:
- He showed support for orphans and underprivileged individuals in general by donating over RM 10,000 to orphanages.
- He also extended support during the COVID-19 pandemic by donating food to Malaysians who suffered job losses and financial hardships.
- His athletic prowess also ignited a passion for badminton in Malaysia. He contributed greatly to the growth and popularity of the sport.
- He became a symbol of national pride and even earned the title of “Datuk” and was recognized as a national hero by the Malaysian prime minister.
- He is also recognised as the most awarded Malaysian Olympian in history.
These show just how much he is concerned about the well-being of other people and the positive impact he has made on society. People would gather to watch his matches at midnight and even place bets on 1Win.
With all the rightly deserved recognition which this legend who climbed his way up from humble beginnings to become a global badminton legend, he rightly serves as motivation for young athletes out there who want to be one of the greats.
Honors and Recognition
Lee’s career was more than remarkable and it brought him a lot of honors and widespread recognition, both within the borders of Malaysia and globally. He is regarded as a national hero within Malaysia and his achievements on the national stage are many including his three consecutive Olympic medals which earned him the Datukship title by the Malaysian government. This title is only awarded to Malaysians who have made significant contributions to the country.
Lee Chong Wei also received the prestigious Sportsman of the Year award on multiple occasions both at the state and national levels. He won the National Sportsman Award four times and the Penang Sportsman Award eight times. With all these titles as a Malaysia badminton player, if he was in the army he would be a highly decorated officer. Well guess what, he was given an honorary rank in the Royal Malaysian Navy Volunteer Reserve Unit.
Lee was conferred the rank of honorary Lieutenant Commander and he was promoted in 2016 to the rank of honorary Commander in recognition of his success at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Some other Lee Chong Wei achievement include:
- BWF Player of the Year Award. Lee won this award five times: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2016.
- Financial Rewards. Lee received RM300,000 in 2008 as a reward for winning the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. He also received RM3,000 per month as a lifetime pension beginning in 2008.
- BWF Hall of Fame: Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan were inducted into the coveted BWF Hall of Fame in 2023.
All these honors only goes to attest to the impact Lee has had as one of the greatest badminton players of all time and his status as a national hero. He is admired worldwide by fans and fellow players, one of the reasons for this admiration is the epic rivalry he had with Lin Dan. They consistently displayed respect for each other’s skills in every competition.
Conclusion
There are very few people who could claim to be a national hero in Malaysia and Lee Chong Wei is one of them, having won three Lee Chong Wei Olympic medals. He has inspired a new generation of athletes with his resilience against tough competition alongside his endurance in conquering severe health problems.
His name will remain in the hearts of the people as a bona fide icon, and even though he retired in 2019 ,his status as an ambassador, mentor, and role model isn’t going to wane any time soon.
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