MALAYSIANS are a happy lot after witnessing Lee Zii Jia's thrilling comeback in the final two sets against India's Lakshya Sen to win bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, our second medal at the games.
After losing the first set 13-21, he dug deep to defeat the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold medallist by scoring with a score of 21-16, 21-11 in the second and third sets.
Overjoyed Malaysians at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris and around the globe celebrated Zii Jia's victory for the nation.
It is a victory of the human spirit for Zii Jia who has sometimes suffered from inner struggles and frustrations in the last two years after going independent.
Another challenge he has had to overcome in his journey to the Olympic podium, is the often blistering criticism in the news, social media and even from former players.
This win secures his place in sports history as the first Malaysian pro shuttler to win at the Olympics. It should serve to silence his critics, at least temporarily.
In Zii Jia's emotional response to his medal win, he expressed how difficult it the struggle had been to overcome personal demons, while striving to excel on his own.
I have written about his need for professional sport psychologyist training.
As a former national athlete, when I experienced bad form, my coach and I reviewed our training methods, diet and food intake, and rest.; We made adjustments until my form showed improvement.
With professional mental training, and a focused mindset, an athlete can rebound from lack of form or even severe injury. It can serve as a catalyst for greater achievements.
Zii Jia's emotional post-game interview was a cathartic moment. It was time he released the negativity he has endured and carried for so long, for the good of his future badminton career.
Now that he has developed championship-winning strategies with his coach Wong Tat Meng, we are ecstatic about this victory.
Syabas, Zii Jia. One thing is for sure, if he's consistent, he can have another shot at badminton gold in four years time in Los Angeles. That goes for our other badminton players, too.
C. SATHASIVAM SITHERAVELLU
Seremban, Negri Sembilan
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times