Paris Olympics: badminton gold to Hong Kong? That is Lee Cheuk-yiu’s unapologetic target
- City’s only men’s singles representative stresses importance of mindset, as does Paris-bound swimmer Cindy Cheung
Hong Kong badminton player Lee Cheuk-yiu is aiming to deliver Olympic gold for his hometown when he heads off to the Paris Games next month.
The 27-year-old will be the city’s lone hope in the men’s singles competition, with no Angus Ng Ka-long alongside him after Ng fell short of qualifying for what would have been his third Olympics.
Lee will also need to go beyond anything he has managed so far this year, when his only result of note has been losing in the final at the Yonex Sunrise India Open.
That final in New Delhi in January saw him come off second-best to world No 1 Shi Yuqi of China after beating Japan’s world No 6 Kodai Naraoka in the semi-final. It was the only time in 2024 Lee has gone further than the round of 16 in any tournament, but that has not deterred him from aiming high.
“My target is a gold medal,” Lee said. “I will do my best. Shot by shot, not point by point. It’s every shot to reach the target of the gold medal.”
Hong Kong’s highest-ranked men’s player at world No 17, six places above Ng, he does not lack ambition or confidence as he approaches his first Olympics. But despite having the word “family” tattooed on his neck, Lee said his desire to win was not something he picked up at home.
