Zii Jia turns down Road to Gold offer again
Men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia was among 16 athletes shortlisted for the Road To Gold programme in April. (EPA Images pic)
PETALING JAYA : Professional men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has once again declined an offer to join the Road To Gold (RTG) programme aimed at preparing athletes for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh confirmed Zii Jia's decision at a press conference today, Bernama reported.
'Zii Jia is not joining the programme for his own reasons. So we respect his decision,' she said, adding that the door remained open should he change his mind.
Zii Jia, currently ranked World No 15, was one of 16 athletes shortlisted for the RTG programme in April.
This marks the second time he has turned down the invitation, following a similar move last year ahead of the Paris Olympics, where he eventually won a bronze medal.
In a statement issued today, Team LZJ thanked the RTG committee, particularly Yeoh, for the opportunity.
'RTG is a programme reserved for the best of the best in the country, and since Zii Jia is still recovering from his injury, we feel that the appropriate assistance from the programme should be given to his fellow peers who are more deserving at this moment,' it said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Vietnam coach concedes Malaysia's strength as Harimau Malaya end 11 year drought with 4-0 thrashing
KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Harimau Malaya head coach Peter Cklamovski has attributed his players' commitment as the key to their success in crushing Vietnam 4-0 in their second AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Group match at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium here last night. The Australian coach, speaking at a post-match press conference, said it also proved the effectiveness of the training his players underwent within a short period. 'In the first half, we created a good chance, while the players showed their discipline in the second half. I praise their commitment, and they deserve the win,' he said. Cklamovski also cautioned his players not to get carried away by tonight's victory and to remain focused on the Asian Cup qualifiers, admitting there was still room for improvement ahead of the next match. Meanwhile, Vietnam coach Kim Sang Sik conceded to the strength of the Harimau Malaya squad this time, but believed his team still had a chance to seek revenge in the return leg. 'This game, I felt Malaysia was very strong, stronger than before. We had expected their performance to be better than before. 'First half, we did as planned, but in the second half, we lost two defenders, thus affecting our defence,' he said. Malaysia ended an eleven-year winless streak against Vietnam with a 4-0 victory tonight, courtesy of goals from Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, Corbin Ong, and Dion Cools. — Bernama
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Malaysia thrash Vietnam 4-0 in historic Asian Cup qualifier win, first victory in 11 years over rivals
KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — The national football team walked away winners for the first time in 11 years against Vietnam after beating them 4-0 in the second 2027 Asian Cup Group F qualifying match at Bukit Jalil National Stadium here last night. Sporting a lineup of new heritage players, Peter Cklamovski's still had to spend the first half trying to get on the same wavelength and struggled to find gaps in Vietnam's defence. Their aggressive play did nearly result in a goal in the 35th minute when Dion Cools sent a blistering shot from outside the penalty box that unfortunately hit the right goalpost. The Harimau Malaya squad managed to get into gear in the second half, and new heritage player Joao Figueiredo scored in the 49th minute when his shot deflected off Vietnamese keeper Nguyen Filip into the net to make it 1-0 in favour of the hosts. Fellow heritage player Rodrigo Holgado kept the momentum up and scored from inside the penalty box 10 minutes later, and the Malaysians, sensing that the match had truly shifted in their favour, continued to press their opponents and were rewarded with a 67th minute goal by Corbin Ong. Finally, Cools made up for his missed shot at goal in the first half with a header in the 89th minute, capping a truly amazing performance for the team. The 4-0 victory means that Malaysia has taken the lead in Group F with six points, while Vietnam is now second with three points. Laos is third, also with three points, courtesy of their 2-1 win over Nepal in the other Group F qualifer in Laos and Nepal is last with no points. Malaysia will travel to Laos on Oct 9 for their third Group F match. — Bernama
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Zii Jia rejects RTG again but Hannah respects his decision
Happy family: Lee Zii Jia has a full support team comprising a physiotherapist, a strength and conditioning coach, two sparring partners, as well as oversight from coach Yeoh Kay Bin and Team LZJ manager Lee Zii Yii. PUTRAJAYA: National men's singles ace Lee Zii Jia may not be part of the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, but his insights are proving valuable in shaping support mechanisms for other professional athletes. While national athletes remain under the care of their respective sports associations, most professional athletes have to rely on their own funds to cover expenses such as competition fees, training equipment, injury treatment and more. Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who also chairs the RTG committee, said Zii Jia had offered constructive input on areas such as injury management, tournament exposure and training facilities during their meeting on June 3. Although the Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist has once again declined to join the programme, he did so to prioritise his recovery and allow the spot to go to other more eligible athletes. Unlike other professional athletes, Zii Jia has a full support team comprising a physiotherapist, a strength and conditioning coach, two sparring partners, as well as oversight from coach Yeoh Kay Bin and Team LZJ manager Lee Zii Yii. 'I want to thank Zii Jia. Through our discussion, we received a lot of useful input on how to better support professional athletes,' said Hannah after the RTG athletes contract signing ceremony in Putrajaya yesterday. 'He gave thoughtful feedback on the RTG programme, but the final decision rests with the athlete. He chose not to join us, and we fully respect his decision.' Despite his absence from the programme, Hannah reiterated her commitment to working with Zii Jia and any other professional athlete in the pursuit of Olympic glory. 'I want to make it clear that the RTG door remains open. If not this year, then perhaps next year or the year after as long as it's before 2028. If any professional athlete wants to engage with us, we are ready to support them. 'Our goal is aligned with the athletes we want to help them bring home Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal,' she added. The input could prove useful for the four professional shuttlers, specifically men's doubles world No. 1 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie. Both pairs have yet to confirm their participation in the RTG programme, although Hannah is confident the matter would be resolved soon. 'They have had two discussions with the RTG coordinator, Datuk Stuart Ramalingam, and still need time to align a few matters. There are some remaining concerns from their side, which Stuart will address as soon as possible,' said Hannah. Currently, 12 athletes have been listed in the new batch of the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, with eight of them coming from badminton. The list is led by Paris Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, mixed doubles duo Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, and men's doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, who are making their debut in the programme. The remaining athletes include weightlifter Mohd Aniq Kasdan, track cyclists Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom and Nurul Izzah Izzati Asri, and squash player S. Sivasangari. Meanwhile, Sivasangari teammates, Ng Eain Yow has been placed on the RTG fast-track list along with three archers, Ariana Nur Dania Zairi, Syaqiera Mashayikh and Nurul Azreena Fazil.
