Petaling Jaya, October 27, 2024 — The Europe Today: Malaysia’s top men’s singles badminton player, Lee Zii Jia, is pushing hard to secure a spot in the prestigious World Tour Finals, which will take place in Hangzhou from December 11-15. Having missed the Finals for two consecutive years, the 26-year-old is determined to qualify and represent Malaysia in men’s singles at the season-ending event.
In a timely boost to his ambitions, Zii Jia recently received an RM100,000 award from the National Sports Council’s (NSC) Shakam incentive scheme for his bronze medal performance at the Paris Olympics. This financial support arrives just ahead of his final two tournaments—the Japan Masters (November 12-17) and China Masters (November 19-24)—which will determine his qualification for Hangzhou.
Zii Jia, who is currently ranked fifth in the Race to Hangzhou rankings, needs to perform well in these tournaments to stay within the top eight and secure his place. “My target is to qualify for the World Tour Finals, and there are only two tournaments left now. I will try to do my best,” he stated.
After an ankle injury forced him to withdraw from the Denmark Open last week, Zii Jia has focused on recovery and is expected to return in time for the Japan and China tournaments. Despite the setback, he remains optimistic. “As long as I feel I can play on court, I will compete in tournaments,” he said.
In addition to his immediate goals, Zii Jia expressed his gratitude for the Shakam award, pledging to strive for future achievements, including a potential qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “Thanks to Shakam for giving me this award. This means so much to me. I will try my best to be in LA 2028,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Olympic bronze-winning men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, also received an award of RM200,000 for their second consecutive Olympic bronze. Although currently in 12th place in the Race to Hangzhou rankings, the pair remain committed to securing a spot in the Tour Finals. They will compete in the Korean Masters (November 5-10) and continue to the Japan and China tournaments, requiring strong performances to break into the top eight.
As Zii Jia, Aaron, and Wooi Yik take on their last-chance tournaments, Malaysian badminton fans eagerly await the possibility of seeing their athletes on the court at the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou this December.