Zii Jia, Nur Shazrin, Jinq En lift the gloom day three in Tokyo 26 Jul 2021 / 07:41 H. Bernama
TOKYO: While others around them continued to flounder, it was left to national men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia, woman sailor Nur Shazrin Mohamad Latif and swimmer Phee Jinq En to save the day for Malaysia on Day Three of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics yesterday.
Zii Jia’s smashing performance on his Olympic debut was like a breath of fresh air to the badminton camp after the women’s doubles and mixed doubles pairs fell to their second straight defeat in their respective groups.
(pic) is distressed by the online abuses targeting the national shuttlers.
The three-time men’s singles Olympic silver medallist said that as a former teammate, he was dismayed by the number of online comments abusing the shuttlers who lost their matches in Tokyo.
“I feel so much for them… All I want to say is I know these players. They went on court with only one aim, one goal. To win the game for the flag on the chest, to make us proud.
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“No athlete wants to lose. But that is the reality, each match and each game, surely someone wins and someone loses. Sometimes, it is just not your day. Those watching on TV also experience heartbreak and disappointment, what more the players themselves? Shouldn’t we support them?