NILAI, June 15 — National cycling champion Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang described Lee Zii Jia’s decision to step back from badminton temporarily as a good move.
He said that a sabbatical was important for Zii Jia as he was currently faced with pressure and bad form and would lead to a successful comeback in the future, adding that only the shuttler would know what he needed to regain his true form.
“It’s not easy to be at the top like Zii Jia with so many focused on him, so when he loses, people bash him. I too have gone through a similar situation in the past when I first started to rise, around 2007, 2008.
“There is pressure, but I learnt quickly and pushed the boundaries. I think it’s good that he steps back a bit and comes back (stronger) later. He has talent, maybe lacking in terms of fighting spirit and mentality.
“He needs to have a champion’s mentality, but it comes with experience,” he said when asked to comment about Zii Jia’s decision at the 2023 Asia Track Cycling Championship in National Velodrome here today.
Zii Jia shocked badminton fans yesterday when he announced he was stepping back from the sport to regain his motivation after being eliminated by Lakshya Sen of India 17-21, 13-21 in the first round of the Indonesian Open.
Zii Jia began the year ranked second in the world but dropped to 11th after crashing out early in several tournaments this season, including the Malaysia Open and Malaysian Masters.
His decision also raises questions whether he would remain in the Road to Gold programme for the Paris Olympics as athletes in the programme are required to fulfil two main criteria, to be a medal winner in a previous Olympics and to be in the top ten in world rankings.
