PETALING JAYA: The fight by men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to win the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics was a "crazy game", says Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
“The second game, most people would think it’s a lost cause. But the both of you never gave up, and you crawled back, point by point, and made us proud. One of the best comebacks Malaysians have ever seen. Congrats Aaron-Wooi Yik," said Chong Wei.
Malaysia's most decorated Olympian said this when praising the duo for their resilience when fighting back against Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the bronze medal match on Sunday (Aug 4) night.
The three-time Olympic silver medallist said that he wants Aaron-Wooi Yik to do better than he did during his career.
“I don’t wish for you to be like me with three medals of the same colour. For your next medal, I pray it’s a different colour,” said Chong Wei.
Aaron-Wooi Yik seemed to have let the bronze medal slip away when the Danish pair had match point in the second game, but the Malaysians dug deep to come back in stunning fashion to retake the lead and clinch their second Olympic bronze medal.
“As long as you don’t give up, there is always hope. This is the mission of donning the Malaysian flag, showing the badminton spirit to the nation.
“Proud of your persistence and not giving up. It’s all about hitting the shuttle one point at a time, standing firm, and never giving up,” said Chong Wei.
Aaron-Wooi Yik gave Malaysia its first medal in Paris, replicating their bronze finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“First Olympic medal for Malaysia! So proud of you boys. What an incredible game. A game that was supposed to be lost, but the men’s pairing from Melaka and Kuala Lumpur brought back hope step by step for the flag on their chests," said Chong Wei.
“Thank you Aaron-Wooi Yik. You are once again the heroes of the nation. Malaysia is now officially on the Olympic medal standings," he added.
In the bronze medal match, the Malaysians defied defeat and came back to win 16-21, 22-20, 21-19.
