After overturning a game deficit to defeat Lakshya Sen on Monday, Lee Zii Jia secured the bronze medal in the men’s singles competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics, adding to the already unforgettable day for Malaysian badminton.
In order to give the nation its first men’s singles medal since Lee Chong Wei’s third silver medal at the 2016 Olympics, the Malaysian defeated his Indian opponent 13-21, 21-16, 21-11.
In the opening game, Lee was a ghost of his former self, making numerous poor decisions that caused his returns to be well off target.
In addition, he was happy to play a rally game that let Sen control the ball from front to back, which he took advantage of to win the first game with ease.
To turn around this match, Lee needed to go back to his offensive ways, which he gradually accomplished in the first part of the second game.
With the world number seven behind 3–7, he began to press the problem with more offensive returns, leaving Sen unable to come up with a response.
Sen tried to rally, but Lee, who was born in Kedah, maintained his cool to tie the score after seizing an early 12–8 lead.
Sen’s game was hampered by the loss in that game, but Lee also showed his best side, coming out swinging and hitting from every angle he could find.
The Malaysian’s defence was excellent as well, and Lee gave a rare smile when he reached down to pick up a shuttle and score his 17th point in an incredible rally.
After Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik had given Malaysia the first bronze on Sunday, Lee quickly sealed the victory by firing a return into Sen’s body to guarantee Malaysia would win a second straight bronze.
In addition, Lee wins his second Olympic bronze medal as a Malaysian men’s singles shuttler after Rashid Sidek did it in 1996.
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