'Every defeat counts': Chong Wei sends rallying cry to Malaysian shuttlers

KUALA LUMPUR: Every loss teaches a valuable lesson on the path to becoming a champion, according to former world No. 1 Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei. The Malaysian badminton legend urged national players not to lose faith in themselves, regardless of their performance, drawing from his own experiences of defeat.

In a Facebook post, Chong Wei said, "I have experienced painful defeats myself. But believe me, every match, every challenge and every defeat is part of the journey towards becoming a champion."

His words follow a successful weekend for Malaysian badminton, with Low Zi Yu and Genevie Lim making history at the World Junior Championships, becoming the first Malaysian girls doubles pair to win the title in the event's 34-year history. Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah also claimed the Denmark Open women's doubles crown.

Chong Wei, who serves as the chairman of the BA of Malaysia's (BAM) performance committee, believes the youngsters' achievement signifies that Malaysian badminton is on the right track. However, he emphasized that their victory was merely the starting point, with much more hard work required to reach the senior level and achieve greater international success.

Congratulating Pearly-Thinaah on their Denmark Open triumph, Chong Wei praised their perseverance, understanding, and confidence as traits that younger players could emulate. He concluded by reaffirming that Malaysian fans would stand by the national players through both triumphs and setbacks, urging the shuttlers to focus on their development rather than be disheartened by defeats.