Chong Wei eyes more glory ahead of farewell
BADMINTON player Lee Chong Wei says he is under pressure to put Malaysia back on the podium and extend his gold medal tally to six in his third and final Commonwealth Games.
The four-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner, part of a 178-strong Malaysian team, arrived on the Gold Coast yesterday ready to stake his claim for the title he never got the chance to win four years ago in Glasgow.
“One-hundred per cent, I have the pressure,” Chong Wei said. “I just have to try my best and hope I can win another two gold for my country.
“I hope I can reach my dream and target.”
Chong Wei won gold in the men’s singles and mixed teams events at the 2006 Games (Melbourne) and in 2010 (Delhi) but Malaysia’s decision to send development players to the 2014 Glasgow Games meant he missed out on competing.
It cost him the two-time world champ the chance to make it three straight wins and resulted in Malaysia failing to win gold in the men’s singles for the first time since 1986.
Now Chong Wei, 35, wants to reclaim the gold medal that was won by India’s Parupalli Kashyap in 2014 in his last appearance at the Games.
“I hope I can win back the gold medal for my country but I think it will be very tough for me,” Chong Wei said.
Chong Wei is no stranger to the Carrara Stadium courts that will be used for the Commonwealth Games.
He was part of the Malaysian team to reach the quarterfinals of the Sudirman Cup in May last year.