Main image via Stadium Astro
When our badminton king, Lee Chong Wei, scored the winning point against India’s K Srikanth, he was so overjoyed that he fell on his back.
Image via The Star
As he stood up, Malaysian spectators in the stadium did the same to give him a standing ovation.
Chong Wei was sensational in his 19-21, 21-14, 21-14 win during the suspenseful men’s singles final. The inspirational man punched the air in triumph and put his hand on his heart as he exclaimed, “This is for Malaysia!”
Image via The Star
Chong Wei told The Star, “I’m happy to win a gold in my last Commonwealth Games and help Malaysia meet the gold-medal target. There was pressure as I knew how important this was for the badminton team and for the nation. I’m glad I hung in there to deliver.”
Despite losing the first set, the 35-year-old kept his focus and aggression in the remaining sets, not allowing his opponent to build up momentum and win more than three consecutive points. In fact, K Srikanth only managed two or more consecutive points on six occasions.
The win showed that Chong Wei’s career is far from over, though this will be his last Commonwealth Game.
Image via Sports NDTV
Chong Wei said, “I’m happy that I can play at this level at my age. I didn’t give up and fought until the end. It’s not over yet and I’m looking forward to other tournaments with more confidence. Today’s victory will be cherished. It’s one of the most memorable wins in my career and in my last Commonwealth Games.”
Thanks to Chong Wei, the Malaysian contingent bagged their 6-gold target on the last day of the games. Then, Chow Mei Kuan and Vivian Hoo made it 7-gold for Malaysia when they defeated England’s Lauren Smith and Sarah Walker in the women’s doubles final.
Article via The Star and Stadium Astro
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