Lee Zii Jia admitted he was so stressed after losing in straight games to Kunlavut Vitidsarn at the Paris Olympics semi-finals, that he lost his appetite and even lost weight afterwards.

Lee was soundly beaten 14-21, 15-21 by the Thai ace in the semis, but redeemed himself by securing the bronze medal after beating Lakshya Sen in the playoff match the next day.

Speaking to the Badminton World Federation, Lee recounted his experience after failing to reach the Olympics final.

“After I lost in the semis against Kunlavut, I was stressed. I couldn’t eat and even lost 1-2kg. I weighed myself the next day. I couldn’t eat my breakfast as well.

“I even took a Panadol before the (Lakshya Sen) match because I felt like I was getting sick. But I overcame this problem and got the bronze medal,” he reflected, explaining that he went back to his hometown in Alor Setar to visit his parents after returning home from Paris.

The world number eight said even right after he won the bronze medal playoff match, he did not feel like celebrating too much.

“I didn’t feel like I won, because my goal was to become the gold medalist. But I accepted the fact that I was a bronze medalist,” he added.

Lee has also fulfilled his wish to qualify for the season-ending World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China next month after missing the prestigious tournament for the last two years.

His best results since the Paris Olympics have been back-to-back quarter-finals at the Arctic Open and Kumamoto Masters.