KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — National badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei is all pumped up to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — thanks to the challenge thrown down by his ‘greatest opponent’ Lin Dan of China.
Chong Wei said he was honoured to hear the words of encouragement from the Chinese ace, who had stated that he would not retire as long as the Malaysian did not.
“I was flattered when he was quoted saying ‘because Chong Wei hasn’t retired from badminton, that spurred me to continue’. I really hope to clash with him in Tokyo 2020... it’ll be like a dream come true. Like what I had said in my earlier interviews, God willing, my body will allow it. I hope to step onto the court in Tokyo next year.
“Next year, may be the fifth and final Olympics for me and my ‘life’s greatest opponent’. It will be great to meet Lin Dan again and we would have reached a full cycle of 20 years,” he said in his Instagram account @leechongweiofficial today.
Local media today quoted two-time Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan as saying that he would only retire when Chong Wei did so too.
The 36-year-old Chong Wei admitted that he was doing all he could to challenge himself to be competitive again, and to be a role model for the younger players, after undergoing surgery for nasal cancer in Taiwan last year.
He also wished Lin Dan good luck in the ongoing Malaysian Open Badminton Championships being held at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
“My friend Lin Dan, you have my best wishes for the Malaysian Open. If I were to hope for a non-Malaysian to win the men’s singles title, I hope it’s you my friend, my greatest opponent,” he said. — Bernama
