Lee Zii Jia heads to Paris in pursuit of Olympic gold

SEPANG: Badminton star Lee Zii Jia departed for Paris yesterday, with Malaysia hoping for a gold medal finish at the Olympics.

He arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 7:30 p.m., where he promptly checked in with his sister and manager, Lee Zii Yii, and his coach, Wong Tat Meng.

Several family members and a number of fans were present to see off the former All England champion at KLIA. Zii Jia will make a stopover in Singapore before continuing his journey to Paris.

He did not speak to reporters at the airport, offering only a brief farewell, possibly implying, “ciao, see you next time with a gold.”

When asked about his readiness for the Olympic challenge in Paris, Zii Jia responded affirmatively with a nod.

Ranked No. 7 in the world, Zii Jia is determined to secure the men’s singles gold medal. His prospects have been bolstered by a favorable draw, placing him in Group G alongside Spain’s Pablo Abian and Sri Lanka’s Viren Nettasinghe.

The journey to Olympic success could potentially lead him to a dramatic final showdown with Denmark’s reigning champion, Viktor Axelsen.