Lee Chong Wei is a former Malaysian badminton player and is one of the all-time outstanding talents.
Full name: Lei Chong Wei
Country: Malaysia
Date of birth: 21 October 1982
Profession: Badminton player
Career span: 2000-2019
His heroics at the top of the game for many years have earned him the title of “Datuk,” also, the Malaysian president describes him as a national hero.
Lee Chong Wei has won many titles and achievements to date, and his autobiography- “Dare to be a Champion,” is one of the best sellers in Malaysia.
Lee was one of the amazing single players and was ranked first worldwide for 349 weeks, including a 199-week streak from 21 August 2008 to 14 June 2012.
Also, he is the fifth player in Malaysia to achieve such a ranking after Foo Kok Keong, Rashid Sidek, Roslin Hashim, and Wong Choong Hann.
Rather than this, he is the only Malaysian shuttler to hold the number one ranking for more than one year.
Achievements and career victories
Lee Chong Wei is a triple-time silver medalist in the Olympics and the sixth Malaysian player to win a medal in Olympics.
And his achievements made him one of the most successful Malaysian Olympians in History.
Rather than this, he won many titles and international championships, which I have mentioned below:
Victories
- At the beginning of his journey, he won a bronze medal in Asian Junior Championships in 2000, held in Kyoto, Japan.
- Won another bronze medal at World Junior Championships, 2000, held in Guangzhou, China.
- He won the title of Malaysia Open Champion approx 12 times from 2004-2006, 2008-2014, and 2016-2018.
- Lee won three gold medals in Commonwealth Games in 2006, 2010, and 2018.
- He won two gold medals in Badminton Asia Championships in 2006 and 2016.
- Also, he won Wilson Swiss Champion two times in 2006 and 2009.
- He was a four-time BWF World Super Series Finals Champion in 2008-2010 & 2013.
- Lee also won the Singapore Open Champion in 2008.
- In the same year (2008), he won a silver medal at Beijing Olympic Games.
- Lee Chong Wei won the Yonex- SUNRISE BWF Super Series Masters Finals Champion in 2009.
- He won the YONEX All England Open Champion four times in 2010, 2011, 2014 & 2017.
- Lee Chong Wei won a silver medal in the BWF World Championships held in 2011, 2013 & 2015.
- Lee was a silver medalist in the London Olympic Games in 2012, and the same year, he also won the YONEX Denmark Open Championship.
- Won silver at Thomas Cup (World Men’s Team Championships) in 2014.
- Bagged a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Awards
- Won the Penang Sportsman Award eight times in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2016.
- He was allotted the National Sportsman Award in 2005, 2008, 2011, and 2012.
- Lee was awarded the TYT Prime Award Trophy six times in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016.
- Also, he was awarded the Olympian of the Year Award thrice in 2008, 2012 & 2016.
- He also received the BWF Player of the Year award five times in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 & 2016.
- Lee was awarded the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Award in 2008.
- And in 2013, he was awarded the RTM’s Most Popular Icon on Television Award.
Honors
- Lee was conferred Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm in 2006.
- The governor of Penang, Abdul Rahman Abbas, gave Lee the title of “Dato.”
- After Lee’s achievement at Summer Olympics 2016 in Rio, he got promoted to Commander (Honorary).
- In 2016 the governor of Malacca, Mohd Khalil Yaakob, gave him the title of ” Datuk Wira”.
- In 2017, Lee was made the Commander of the Meritorious Service Order.
- Lee Chong Wei also received an Honorary doctorate in sports science from Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, the chancellor of the Science University of Malaysia.
Also, take a look at this video, where Lee Chong Wei can be seen playing some of his best tricks and powerful shots:
Badminton Rackets used by Lee Chong Wei
Here is the list of the rackets that were used by Lee Chong Wei:
2000- 2005 (Yonex Muscle Power 88)
Lee used Yonex Muscle Power 88 at the very start of his career, as it is one of the best friendly rackets for beginners.
He used this racket from 2000 till 2015.
2006 (Yonex Nanospeed 9000)
This year, Lee Chong played with the Yonex Nanospeed 9000, a gold, white, and blue edition.
2007- 2008 (Yonex Armotec 900 Power)
Lee often uses the Yonex badminton series, and one of these series is the Armotec series.
It was one of the most popular series, which Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei used during the 2008 Olympics.
2009 (Yonex Arcsaber Z Slash)
Lee Chong Wei used Yonex Arcsaber Z Slash during the 2009 Japan Open, which is still one of the best rackets he uses professionally.
2010- 2011 (Yonex Voltric 80)
Yonex Voltric 80 was used by Lee Chong Wei in 2010 and 2011.
He used this racket in the 2011 World Championships finals while playing against Lin Dan, but unfortunately, he lost that match.
Rather than Lee, some other top badminton players like Peter Gade and Mathias Boe also used this popular racket.
2012- 2013 (Yonex Voltric Z Force)
During 2012 and 2013, Lee used two versions of Yonex Voltric Z Force.
The first version was a green/white/ and black edition, while the other was a gold and white edition, which he even used in the 2012 Olympics.
2014- 2015 (Yonex Voltric Z Force II LCW Edition)
Yonex Voltric Z Force II was one of the exotic and amazing rackets launched by Yonex.
And when it was out, everyone began using it, including Lee Chong Wei.
Lee stated this racket and said it was one of the first high-end rackets I have ever used, and it also features a smaller head than most rackets and the thinnest and stiffest shaft I have ever experienced.
2015- 2018 (Yonex Doura 10)
Lee Chong Wei used Yonex Doura 10 from 2015 to 2018.
And it made Yonex Doura 10 one of the most popular rackets among the players of all time since Lee started using it.
He used different variants of Yonex Doura 10, from the classic green to the orange edition, to the white and blue versions.
2019 (Yonex Astrox 99 LCW Edition)
Lee Chong Wei was going to be the leading ambassador for the racket Yonex Astrox 99 after its launch.
But he never got the chance to use this racket because of his nose cancer.
Later on, Yonex made a Lee Chong Wei limited edition Yonex Astrox 99 to honour Lee Chong Wei’s lasting impact on the game of badminton and his legacy.
And on 13 June 2019, Lee Chong Wei finally took his retirement after a fierce battle with nose cancer.
Lee Chong Wei’s net worth
Lee Chong Wei is a popular Malaysian professional player with a net worth of $16 million.
And according to various reports, he has collected US$1.85 million as prize money throughout his career.
Rather than this, he has signed many endorsements with 100 plus isotonic drinks, the Yonex brand, the Kaspersky antivirus program, and other products.
Where did Lee Chong Wei take his training?
Lee Chong Wei was born in Bagan Serai, Perak, in a Malaysian Chinese Family to Lee Ah Chai and Khor Kim Choi.
At an early age, Lee was more attracted to basketball, but his mother discouraged the activity due to the scorching outdoor heat.
But at the age of 11, his father influenced him to learn and play this sport, after which Lee started training after school under the guidance of a local coach.
Later his talent was discovered by Misbun Sidek, another former leading Malaysian badminton player, and he went to the national academy of the Badminton Association of Malaysia; later, he was drafted into the national squad when he was seventeen years old.
Coach of Lee Chong Wei
Full name: Mohmed Misbun Bin Mohd Sidek
Country: Malaysia
Date of birth: 17 February 1960
Profession: Former badminton player (Currently team director of Malaysian national juniors team)
Career Span: 1978- 1990
Misbun Sidek is a former Malaysian badminton player who is currently the Malaysia national junior badminton team director.
He started playing at seven and was trained by his father at the court in front of their house in Kampung Kanchong Darat, Banting, Selangor.
Misbun was the eldest among the five Sidek brothers, and all his brothers (Razif, Jalani, Rahman, and Rashid) were also trained by his father.
These brothers were once the pride of Malaysia’s badminton from early 1980s to the early 2000.
Misbun won his first international title in 1981 at German Open.
He even helped Malaysia’s national squad to win a silver medal at the SEA games.
And from 1980 to 2000, he won many titles and achievements, which I will mention below.
Later in 2002, he was appointed as the Men’s Singles coach of the National Team of Malaysia and trained Lee Chong Wei under his guidance.
Achievements of Misbun Sidek
Misbun Sidek represented Malaysia nationally and internationally in men’s badminton.
This Malaysian player was ranked 2 in 1983 at the BWF ranking.
Rather than this, he won a bronze in the World Championships, held in 1980 in Jakarta.
He also won a silver in 1982, a bronze in 1983, and another bronze in the 1985 World cup.
Misbun won a silver in 1988 and a bronze in 1986 at the Thomas cup.
He received a silver in 1985 and a bronze medal in the same year at Asian Championships.
Rather than this, he also received three silver and three bronze medals in the Southeast Asian Games.
And finally, in 1990, he retired and started coaching other players, including Lee Chong Wei.