KUALA LUMPUR: Three years after what he described as a "good learning experience" on his Olympic debut in Tokyo, a matured Lee Zii Jia is determined not to let another opportunity slip through his hands as he aims for the gold medal at the world's biggest multi-sport event in Paris.
Back then, at 23, Zii Jia entered the postponed Tokyo Games in July 2021 as a potential surprise podium contender despite being seeded only ninth.
Why not? He was the reigning All England champion just four months prior.
Indeed, Zii Jia showed he had the potential to make a significant impact. In his last-16 clash with Rio 2016 gold medallist Chen Long, Zii Jia won the opening game in emphatic fashion, stunning the two-time world champion 21-8.
In the second game, Chen Long managed to bounce back, but Zii Jia fought valiantly to draw level at 19-19. However, Chen Long's experience proved crucial as he remained calm to convert his two game points, winning 21-19.
The deciding game saw Zii Jia struggle to recover from the morale-shattering moment, allowing Chen Long, with restored confidence, to secure an easy 21-5 victory.
Chen Long went on to win the silver medal, losing to Denmark's Viktor Axelsen, the man Zii Jia had defeated to claim the All England title.
Zii Jia knew things could have turned out differently had he clinched the match in straight games, given the unpredictability of the Tokyo Games.
Even Guatemala's Kevin Cordon managed to finish fourth, delivering one of the most shocking results since badminton's inclusion in the Olympics in Barcelona 1992.
Cordon's experience proved pivotal; the four-time Pan-Am champion was competing in his fourth Games.
Zii Jia later told the Malaysian media that it was an "experience" that led to his shortcomings in Tokyo, and he swiftly declared that he would "come back stronger" by learning from the lessons of the Tokyo Games.
"It's not the result I had expected, but I'll still take heart from my first Olympic experience," said Zii Jia.
"It's going to be a long journey for me. I still have much to improve on. That's what this Olympics has taught me.
"My defeat in Tokyo was not the end of the world. It was a good learning experience for me.
"You need a strong winning mentality to be an Olympic champion. I want to come back a more mature and complete player."
A lot has taken place in Zii Jia's career over the last three years, most notably his decision to quit the national team and turn professional.
Zii Jia has endured a roller-coaster journey since then, with a series of inconsistent results. He was even mocked by netizens as the "first-round king" due to his frequent early exits.
However, training under renowned coach Wong Tat Meng, Zii Jia appears to have regained his old form just in time for the Paris showdown.
Zii Jia will head to Paris as one of the players in top form, having reached three finals in four tournaments and winning 15 out of the 18 matches he started.
He won the Thailand Open and the Australian Open and finished second to Axelsen at the Malaysia Masters.
In a heartfelt post on Team LZJ's social media platform two days ago, Zii Jia shared a message about how "to dream is also to learn."
"My first Olympics, where I dared to learn, I learned of responsibility, I learned from experience," it reads.
"To further learn after, I took a path different from others. In my eagerness to learn, I also learned from failure.
"I continue to learn still and now dare to put what I've learned to the test. Perhaps to finally learn the true meaning of my perseverance and determination."