Lee Zii Jia made it another memorable day for Malaysian badminton after he clinched the Paris Olympics men's singles bronze medal after coming from a game down to beat Lakshya Sen on Monday.
The Malaysian ousted his Indian opponent 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 to gift the country a first men's singles medal since the 2016 Olympics when Lee Chong Wei won his third silver.
Lee was a shadow of himself in the first game with a lot of judgement errors that saw his returns go wide off the mark.
Besides that, he was also content to engage in a rally game that allowed Sen to dominate from front to back court, which he capitalized to easily
clinch the opening game.
Lee needed to revert back to his offensive game to change his fortunes in this match, and he gradually did so early in the second game.
Trailing 3-7, the world number seven started to force the issue with more attacking returns that resulted in Sen struggling for an answer.
Lee soon surged into a 12-8 lead, and despite Sen's efforts to claw his back back, the Kedah-born kept his composure to level the scores.
Losing that game derailed Sen's game, and it also brought out the best from Lee who came out all guns blazing with his smashes which he started to fire from every angle he could find.
The Malaysian's defence also shone, and when he dove full stretch to retrieve a shuttle and win his 17th point in a great rally, there was a rare celebration from Lee.
Victory was soon secured when Lee fired a return into Sen's body to ensure a second consecutive bronze medal for Malaysia after Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik had delivered a first on Sunday.
Lee also becomes the second Malaysian men's singles shuttler to win an Olympic bronze medal since Rashid Sidek achieved it at the 1996 Olympics.
Henry Larsson
Mon Aug 05 2024
Badminton Terbuka India: Soon Huat-Shevon Lai mudah tewaskan pasangan Indonesia, mara ke pusingan seterusnya
Pasangan merpati dua sejoli, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, menepati ramalan apabila menewaskan lawan dari Indonesia, Rinov Rivaldy-Lisa Ayu Kusumawati, dengan kemenangan straight set dalam Badminton Terbuka India di Pusat Sukan Indira Gandhi, sebentar tadi.
Badminton Terbuka India: Tang Jie-Ee Wei langkah kanan di New Delhi
Beregu campuran negara, Chen Tang Je-Toh Ee Wei, meneruskan kemaraan ke pusingan 16 Kejohanan Badminton Terbuka India yang berlangsung hari ini.
Badminton Terbuka India: Jun Hao lakar kejutan singkir pemain China
Pemain perseorangan negara, Leong Jun Hao, melakar kejutan menyingkirkan Li Shi Feng dari China dalam aksi pusingan 32 Terbuka India, hari ini.
Badminton Terbuka India: Sze Fei-Izzuddin mara ke pusingan 16
Beregu negara, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, melangkah ke pusingan 16 Kejohanan Badminton Terbuka Malaysia selepas menundukkan satu lagi pasangan negara, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, sebentar tadi.
Dua beregu campuran negara pamer peningkatan ranking, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah turun satu tangga
Perjuangan dua gandingan beregu campuran negara dalam Petronas Terbuka Malaysia sangat berbaloi selepas mempamerkan prestasi memukau selain mencipta sejarah melangkah ke peringkat separuh akhir meskipun tewas kepada lawan masing-masing di Axiata Arena, minggu lalu.
Petronas Terbuka Malaysia: Langkah Man-Tee terhenti, tiada wakil negara di final
Gandingan beregu lelaki negara, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, tidak berhasil menjadi wakil tunggal negara lolos ke peringkat akhir selepas perjuangan mereka dihentikan wakil China dalam separuh akhir Petronas Terbuka Malaysia di Axiata Arena, sebentar tadi.
Petronas Terbuka Malaysia: Cabaran Tang Jie-Ee Wei di laman sendiri berakhir!
Cabaran beregu campuran negara, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, berakhir selepas tewas kepada lawan di ranking nombor satu dunia dari China, Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, dalam aksi separuh akhir Petronas Terbuka Malaysia di Axiata Arena, sebentar tadi.
Petronas Terbuka Malaysia: Penantian 60 tahun tidak kesampaian, Soon Huat-Shevon Lai kandas di separuh akhir
Hajat pasangan merpati dua sejoli, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, memecahkan kebuntuan selama 60 tahun negara tidak kesampaian apabila tewas kepada Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran dalam aksi rubber set 21-17, 12-21, 16-21 Petronas Terbuka Malaysia di Axiata Arena, sebentar tadi.
Herry Iman Pierngadi sahut cabaran kemudi beregu lelaki negara
Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) mengumumkan pelantikan Herry Iman Pierngadi yang akan mula berkhidmat sebagai ketua jurulatih beregu lelaki kebangsaan, awal bulan depan.
Petronas Terbuka Malaysia: Info Siaran Langsung (Live Streaming) separuh akhir tiga wakil negara
Kejohanan Petronas Terbuka Malaysia 2025 sehari lagi menghampiri kemuncaknya dengan tiga wakil negara bakal turun membuat perhitungan separuh akhir di Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur.
Australian Open: Two-time champion Osaka rallies to beat Muchova
Osaka fights back to progress
Australian Open: Awesome Alcaraz marches on in Melbourne
No fuss for Alcaraz
Australian Open: Zheng offers no excuses as Andreeva fights back
Zheng out, Andreeva through
Australian Open: Djokovic makes more grand slam history
Djokovic sets new major record
Australian Open: Sabalenka downs Bouzas Maneiro in round two
Sabalenka's surge continues
Emery anticipates 'excited' Everton as Moyes returns to Goodison
Emery wary of motivated Everton
Djokovic 'feels bad' he missed Nadal's farewell to tennis
Djokovic on missing Nadal farewell
Leyton Orient tee up glamour Man City tie in FA Cup
Leyton Orient tee up Man City tie
Forest not discussing Premier League title chances, says goalkeeping hero Sels
Forest not discussing title hopes
Celtic 'too passive' and 'not aggressive enough' in Dundee draw
Celtic 'too passive' v Dundee