Sunday March 22, 2009
Keeping score with a champ
By ELIZABETH TAI



Datuk Lee Chong Wei may be the world’s top badminton player, but the shy young man prefers to keep his personal life out of the limelight. Here, he opens up about his game, his romance with a fellow shuttler and plans for the future.

DATUK Lee Chong Wei can be very intimidating.

Interrupt his practice session and you’ll get a stern look – as this reporter did when trying to get his attention during a brief break during a practice session in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, recently.

But once the world No.1 singles player puts aside his racquet, it’s a different story.

“Sorry for that,” says Lee with an apologetic smile. “But my coach (Datuk Misbun Sidek) is very strict. I’m scared of him!” he jokes.

The 27-year-old Penangite may be a “terror” on the badminton court, but Lee is a different person away from it: He’s known for his easy-going nature and laidback sense of humour.
His father persuaded Lee Chong Wei to take up badminton although he preferred basketball. Here, the ace plays at the men’s singles second-round match at the All England Badminton Championships on March 5. – AP

Perhaps this is one reason why he is said to be uncomfortable with being called “Datuk”. After he bagged a silver medal in the men’s singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lee was conferred the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri award, which carries the title. According to a report in The Star, Lee thought that his eldest brother, Lee Chong Hoon, was joking when he told him he had received the award – he figured it would only be awarded to gold medalists!

“The first few months (after obtaining the title) I felt a lot of pressure ... I’m just not used to people calling me Datuk,” he says sheepishly in Hokkien.

Well, its certainly been one high-flying year for the youngster. Malaysians have been aware of his feats on the court for some years now – Lee has bagged five Malaysian Open titles and numerous international honours, but it seems winning that prestigious Olympics silver has propelled him right onto the centre of the stage.

A natural talent

With his skills, one would think Lee was weaned on badminton, so the last thing one would expect to hear is how he didn’t like the game when he first started playing at age 12.

“My father liked badminton and taught me how to play. I preferred basketball. But my mother didn’t like me playing (that) because I became so tanned from being out in the hot sun!” he says, grinning.
Lee and Wong Mew Choo have been an item since their school days. Here, the duo wear clothes from Top Shop and Top Man.

“So, my father suggested, ‘Why don’t you play badminton? At least it is indoors.’ So that’s how I started playing – I eventually grew to love it,” he tells.

Lee, who has two brothers and a sister, was the surprise fourth child for Lee Ah Chai, now 56, and his wife, Khor Kim Choi, 55. Many friends and relatives offered to adopt Lee but Khor refused. Her husband was also told by a fortune teller that her youngest son would bring luck to the family.

And how true that prediction has turned out to be. Lee’s talent was apparent from the start and with his father’s encouragement, he joined and won many local tournaments. His hard work paid off when former badminton champ Misbun noticed him and asked him to join the national team in 1997 when he was 17.

As a national player, he studied at Sekolah Sri Garden in Kuala Lumpur with other players. They lived in hostels near the school and had to wake up at the crack of dawn to train until 8am. They then attended classes until 3pm and trained again at 4pm.

But perhaps that crazy schedule has prepared Lee for an even busier one now. Apart from competing in tournaments, the shuttler has to keep in tip-top shape with practices almost every day. He wakes up early and hones his skills in two practice sessions per day, with each session lasting about three to four hours. (Except for Thursday and Saturday, when it’s a “half day’’.)

“Oh, this is the thing I hate most – having to get up so early,” Lee moans.

At school was also where he met then 16-year-old Wong Mew Choo, who would eventually become Malaysia’s No.1 women’s badminton player... and his love interest.
Penang’s Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas conferring the Datukship on Lee after his Olympic win.

“He always borrowed my pen and books, and disturbed people in the class,” says Wong, now 26.

“I didn’t like to study,” retorts Lee, mischeviously.

The two began dating a year after they met in school and have been a couple ever since. But over the years, they have kept their relationship low key until Lee decided to unveil it in a Sept 2008 post on his blog (blog.lee chongwei82.com) under the attention-grabbing headline, “My love story”.

So are there wedding bells for the King and Queen of Malaysian badminton?

“We still don’t know about our future plans,” says Lee. “Mew Choo and I want to concentrate on badminton for the next few years.”

It has certainly been a hard climb to the top for the both of them, but “there’s no choice ... it’s my job, after all. It’s something that needs to be done,” Lee says matter-of-factly.

Wong, adds: “Ninety percent of our life is dedicated to badminton. To get something you must give something. We eat and sleep badminton. Sometimes we feel pressured. But badminton is our nation’s hope.”

Although the sport allows them to travel around the world for tournaments – the duo have been to Beijing, Japan and South Korea together – they do not have much time for sightseeing.

“After finishing (a match), I want to return to KL,” Lee says.

But Lee does make time for friends, however. When he is in Indonesia for a match, he’ll make it a point to hang out with his good friend, top Indonesian badminton player and former world champion, Taufik Hidayat, 27.

“We’ll have dinner or go shopping. We may be opponents in the badminton court, but outside we’re good friends,” he says.

Lee and Wong only get Sundays off, so this is a precious day for the couple.

When asked about what he does during his free time, Lee says, simply: “Rest. And when I watch TV, I’ll nod off soon after.”

“I love shopping, sleeping and watching movies and Korean dramas,” says Wong, happily.

The couple sometimes prowl the shopping malls but being public figures, both are easily recognised by their fans and are often stopped for photographs.

Lee is uncomfortable with the attention and feels torn between the gratitude he feels for his fans’ support and his desire for privacy.

“Sometimes, when I’m resting, I don’t really want to think about badminton,” he explains.

Last year, Lee played in 14 international tournaments – including the Olympic Games.

“Yes, it’s non-stop, right? I am tired, but what to do?” says Lee.

Lee and Wong will be competing next in the India Open in Hyderabad on March 24-29.

Life after badminton?

Despite his achievements, Lee feels uncomfortable about being a “national hero”.

“I feel a lot of pressure ... especially when I lose! But this is the nature of sports,” he says.

It doesn’t help that Malaysians can be quite critical about their badminton players, but Lee takes it in stride.

“People can scold me when I lose, but I accept what people say because everyone’s opinions are different,” he says.

Lee plans to retire after the 2012 London Olympics to run the IT business he has with his brother-in-law. He wants to be a businessman like his father, who once ran an electronics store.

But when asked whether he’ll continue in the badminton world by becoming a coach, Lee first says that he’ll “think about it”. Then shaking his head, he says, “Probably not!”

“I’m too scared of badminton – it’s been 10 years already!” he quips.