Zero or Hero?

So, is Lee Chong Wei, our national shuttler, an Olympic 2008 Badminton Men's Single Silver Medalist, a Zero or a Hero?

Whatever is the reason for the one-sided performance during the final, be it a poor game plan, a poor execution of a proper game plan, the tidal pressure wave of the home crowd, the burden of expectation, the fear of losing, or the overwhelming significance of the event, frankly, I could not suppress my disappointment from our team’s failure in overcoming pressures by preparing for the expected influence of pressures on the strength of Lee Chong Wei’s strokes, his smashes, or net plays. It’s a well-known fact that mental strength of our athletes is our main stumbling block in major competitions. And I was disappointed after all these years, it remains a major stumbling block. But is Lee Chong Wei a Zero because of the defeat?

He would be if, going into the final match, his target was a silver medal.

But his pensive expression, his uneasy hand movement, his almost-embarrassed body language, and his fighting back his tears, comforted us that he did try to go for the ultimate glory. He did his best under the circumstances. Though he knew his best was not enough. He was disappointed, or maybe even furious, at himself. As he knew he had failed his countrymen, not in losing the match, but in not giving a credible performance.

Standing on the right of Lin Dan on the podium, watching our national flag being raised for the first time after a long 12 years, however disappointed he was, he should be proud of himself, as all Malaysians were proud of him, for giving his best and putting Malaysia back on the medal tally once again.

(In the mean time, spare a thought though for the man standing on Lin Dan’s left, Chen Jin, the bronze medalist. He didn’t even get a chance to go all out for glory in his semi-final match against Lin Dan.)

So, a highly precious lesson learnt. Olympic being a sport event that comes around only once every four years, few would have the experience of participating in the games. The fact that peak period of athletes usually lasts less than ten years, fewer still would have the opportunity to be in form at the right time and play in a final. But the highly coveted experience would mean nothing if he’s satisfied with the silver medal, and do not use this agonizing defeat, and the disappointment of Malaysians as a spring board to reach for higher glory and to transcend our disappointment into euphoria.

So is he a Zero, or a Hero?

Well, it’s not time to tell yet. Being 26 years old, he might not be at his peak, and London Olympics 2012 is still a very probable target. If he can use this precious experience to strengthen his next quest for sport achievement and bring pride to the nation, then he had not failed us Malaysians, who are behind him all the way.

So, Zero or Hero? Lee Chong Wei, it's in your hands!

Kissing the Badge

I was nervous. I was holding my breath. I was overjoyed. I was confused. I was indifferent. I was happy. I was confident. Now, I am eager. And I am hopeful.

I was so nervous that I skipped the live telecast of Olympic Badminton semi-final match between our Lee Chong Wei and Korean Lee Hyun Il last night, on purpose. I managed to catch the live telecast of our double pair Khoo and Tan the night before, and found the drama and excitement and the subsequent heart breaks too much to handle. It does seem that the sinking losing feeling always follows whenever I give my support to our athletes by watching them live. So this time, I stayed away.

I was holding my breath when I clicked on the live score of the match on the net. 2-1 to Lee Chong Wei.

I was overjoyed. It does seem that I get better result if I read it instead of watching it live. But I’m sure not going to miss the final and pray that it's not going to hurt our chance at a gold medal. But as the joy was sinking in …

I was confused. Against the big hoo-hah of "Ketuanan Melayu" and the more recent protest by the MARA students regarding increasing the quota for non-Malays students, how should I be feeling at this point – as a non-Malay Malaysian? How are the people who shouted “Ketuanan Melayu” with such vigours feeling? What are the thoughts of the students who raised their fists during their protest? What’s Lee Chong Wei’s thought during his match? Was he fighting as a non-Malay or as a Malaysian?

I have always been indifferent to these kind of “sensitive” news. Isn’t it more sensitive to react to an issue, than to raise an issue? Because I know that I’m a Malaysian, inside-out and outside-in, top-down and bottom-up. I was born here, raised here, educated here, and now working here and making my contribution here. Can you get more Malaysian than that? We are defined by what we do, not what others do or don’t do. We are who we are because we just are!

I was happy to see a picture of Chong Wei kissing his Malaysian badge in this morning paper. That’s the way, Chong Wei! You won as a Malaysian, not as a non-Malay Malaysian! Then I also saw a picture of him hugging his coach, Misbun Sidek, a non-non-Malay. Now that’s a picture of true Malaysia. Teamwork.

I found my confidence this morning when I came across a few blogs by our non-non-Malay countrymen blogging their congratulations to Chong Wei’s while searching for his photos. Then I realized, it doesn’t matter how good a crop is, there are bound to be some bad apples.

Now, I’m eager to watch the final between Chong Wei and Lin Dan. And I’m sure all Malaysian will be hopeful and waiting for a Malaysian to win the first Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing 2008.

Go, Malaysia Go!