"Hanya Lee Zii Jia mampu jawab persoalan sama ada dia individu yang dinantikan badminton Malaysia sebagai perseorangan terunggul negara selepas Datuk Lee Chong Wei."
Itu pandangan bekas perseorangan lelaki negara, Foo Kok Keong, yang merupakan sebahagian daripada wira skuad Piala Thomas negara bagi edisi 1992.
Kok Keong dalam masa terluang tidak melepaskan peluang untuk mengikuti perkembangan Zii Jia, namun dia menegaskan bakat semula jadi tidak bermakna tanpa kerja keras.
"Setakat ini, hanya Zii Jia yang masih mampu menggantikan tempatnya. Saya fikir dia masih perlu bekerja keras kerana saya mengikuti perkembangannya dan ramai pemain yang turut bersaing di pentas dunia," katanya.
Bekas pemain yang kini berusia 56 tahun itu juga berasakan pemain yang layak ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo 2020 perlu mengimpikan kemungkinan untuk membawa pulang pingat buat Malaysia.
Namun, dia mengakui prestasi semasa skuad badminton negara tidak memberikan harapan besar untuk Malaysia mengulangi pencapaian memenangi tiga pingat perak dalam temasya Rio 2016.
"Sudah tentu kami mahu melihat Malaysia meraih emas dalam Olimpik. Kami memiliki pemain beregu dan perseorangan, jadi berbaki setahun lagi, ini adalah peluang terbaik kerana ia hanya datang empat tahun sekali. Tidak mudah."
Penulis Jemputan
Sun Oct 20 2019


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