PUTRAJAYA, Oct 26 — Datuk Lee Chong Wei need to be given time and space and not undue pressure to win the gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil said Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Chong Wei who returned to his winning ways by clinching the French Open Super Series title last night must be given time to return to his ‘old form’ before even placing any hope about winning the country’s first ever gold medal in the Olympics. 

“Difficult to say if Chong Wei is back to his ‘old form’ but I believe last night’s win will certainly give him a big boost for his confidence,” he said when commenting on Chong Wei victory over Taiwan’s Chow Tien Chen to claim the French Open title.

Khairy said before placing any high expectation on Chong Wei, we need to gauge his consistency before going to the Olympics, especially against players like Chen Long and Lin Dan from China.

“So, to succeed in Rio, I believe he (Chong Wei) will have to look into many other aspects of improvement before we can declare he is ready for the gold medal quest,” he said after launching the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) World Youth Sailing Championship 2015 (ISAF YWC 2015), here today.

Khairy said Chong Wei’s success in France would certainly see his ranking improve from the current world number 19, and further boost his chances of earning a ticket to the Olympics.

The former world number one defeated Chou Tien Chen 21-13, 21-18 in the final of the French Open at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin in Paris to pick up his first Super Series title this season since coming back from an eight-month suspension due to a doping offence. — Bernama