Lee Chong Wei admitted he thought of giving his decorated career one last shot, even as he was poised to announce his retirement following a battle with nose cancer.
The former world number one was diagnosed with first stage nose cancer just months after winning his 12th Malaysia Open title with a victory over Kento Momota last June.
Despite ongoing treatments in Taiwan, Lee had refused to throw in the towel and was intent on featuring at the Tokyo Olympics.
A year after hanging up his racquet professionally, he revealed he was still contemplating to give it one last shot, as he got ready for the press conference to announce his retirement.
"After a warm long bath, I looked at the guy in the mirror, 'Want to try one more time?'. Then my sight gazed down to my neck and body. My body was so frail and thin. My muscles were jelly soft. The scar on my neck was so deep and dark after all the treatment.
"It has been a year. A year since I announced an end to my 25 years active badminton career span. It would never be the same for me again, but I still think I made the right decision. After all, I have given my all, my best, although sometimes the best may not be good enough," Lee said in an emotional statement.
The three-time Olympic silver medalist was choked with emotions when he officially announced his retirement to the world on June 13 last year.
A true professional throughout his decorated career, Lee was known for his relentless work ethic, dedication and discipline.
He would often stay back beyond training sessions to work on drills and improve his deficiencies, a trait that earned the admiration of his peers and coaches.
Lee would have gone on to become the greatest of his generation, had Lin Dan not denied him on so many occasions at the Olympics and World Championships.
The 37-year-old recently revealed how he was obsessed with the Chinese ace due to their rivalry and would not quit during training despite suffering from cramps.
Lee has since fully recovered from his ailment and is preparing for his role as chef de mission to lead the national contingent at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics next year.
Nicolas Anil
Sun Jun 14 2020
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