KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — National shuttler Lee Zii Jia has set a bold target of becoming the first Malaysian to win the elusive Olympic Games gold medal in Paris 2024.
Lee, the current men’s world number four conveyed his wish to bring home the ultimate prize in the world’s biggest multi-sports games in France via his meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh earlier today.
In a Facebook post, she said the current world number four shuttler, who was listed among 15 athletes under the ‘Road to Gold’ (RTG) as announced yesterday, supported the initiative and was grateful to make the cut for the programme.
“Lee Zii Jia told me he really wants that first gold medal in Paris 2024 for the country. It was a positive meeting. This is what I want to hear from our athletes, it starts with that desire for gold,” Yeoh said.
RTG Coordinator Stuart Ramalingam was also present during the meeting.
As such, the minister said Stuart will further discuss with Le's agent on the details of his commitment to RTG, which will include coaching and sparring coordination.
Apart from the 25-year-old shuttler, five other representatives from badminton are listed for the RTG programme, namely men's doubles world champions Aaron Chia - Soh Wooi Yik; national number one women’s pair Pearly Tan - M. Thinaah and three professional pairs — Tan Kian Meng - Lai Pei Jing (mixed); Goh Soon Huat - Shevon Lai Jemie (mixed), and Ong Yew Sin - Teo Ee Yi (men).
The other athletes under the RTG programme are track cycling ace Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, his teammate Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom, divers Datuk Pandelela Rinong and Nur Dhabitah Sabri.
The 2024 Olympic Games are slated from July 26 to August 11 next year.
Datuk Lee Chong Wei made it to three consecutive men's singles finals at the Olympics but ended with three consecutive silver medals in (2008, 2012, 2016).
— Bernama
