Lee Chong Wei’s stellar 19-yr badminton profession in interactive photographs

How frequently has an athlete retired as G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time) in his sport without becoming a world champion, prevailing Olympic gold, or through standing at the podium with a silver medal? No one remembers who came 2d inside the global of sports. But Lee Chong Wei has flipped this narrative no longer once, no longer twice, however, on some of the activities as badminton’s loved nearly guy. And still, when the 36-yr-vintage broke down even as pronouncing his retirement from the game, the world of badminton bemoaned.

Lee has been part of a brilliant adventure interlaced with the joys of winning, the agony of defeat, all the u.S.A.And downs, on-court wizardry, and oh, all the debilitating slim disappointments at first tournaments. Please take a look at his professional trajectory as an example: The legend of Lee continually came back stronger inside the face of crushing disappointment. He becomes ready to pounce on his rivals. To see a fantastic fighter retire who has given a lot to the game isn’t clean to digest. His spirit wants him to fight, but his frame can’t. For as soon as the stoic Lee knew he needed to be given defeat. Lee has determined to position his fitness first after being recognized with nose most cancers. Many thought it turned into the stop, but the fighter mustered enough braveness to overcome this hurdle too.

Lee changed into cleared of most cancers after receiving a couple of treatments in Taiwan in November, and with the aid of the beginning of January, he turned again at the courtroom. A go back to the All-England and Malaysia Opens transformed into on the cards; however, his plans got here to nothing. However, he posted an update on Facebook in April to reiterate his choice to compete in Tokyo Olympics 2020 and resume his lengthy status competition with China’s Lin Dan. But after failing to get a green light from his medical doctor’s numerous instances, the shuttler got here to accept that his days have been numbered.

Lee knew he had had sufficient and the elusive Olympic gold became some distance from his attain. “Failing to win Olympic gold and global title (for the country and himself) is one of the largest regrets in my profession,” a teary-eyed Lee informed journalists. In all, he had bagged sixty-nine titles throughout his career. That consists of a superb 46 titles inside the now-defunct Superseries – the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) top-flight circuit. Lee turned into ranked World No 1 for 199 consecutive weeks between 2008 and 2012, a marvelous feat in badminton guys’ singles event. Lee received the Malaysian Open 12 times in his profession (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018), except becoming the first non-Indonesian player to win the Indonesian Superseries Premier six instances (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016).

Healsoy gained the Japan Open five instances (2007, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014) and participated in 8 editions of the Thomas Cupeditions after making his debut in 2004. Lee also received the celebrated All England name four times in his profession – 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017, and was runners-up in 3 World Championships (2011, 2013, and 2015). But it’s no longer the end for the Malaysian incredible. He has pledged to retain being concerned in the sport so long as he’s still wanted. In reality, the Youth and Sports Ministry and Olympic Council of Malaysia had made a unique association for him to be the chef-de-assignment for the national contingent to subsequent year’s Tokyo Olympics.