MADAME Tussauds Singapore has unveiled the wax figure of former world no. 1 badminton player Lee Chong Wei today.

“We are proud to be chosen as the first Madame Tussauds to display Lee, one of this region’s best ever, right here in Singapore, where he will stand among giants in our very own Sports ‘Hall of Fame’,” said its general manager, Steven Chung, on its website.

“Sports legends are extraordinary, larger-than-life individuals who have the unique ability to capture the hearts of fans and inspire the younger generation from around the world.”

Chong Wei’s wax figure will be on display at Madame Tussauds Singapore before making its way back to its permanent residence in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong in the first quarter of 2023.

A household name in Malaysia, Chong Wei is the first-ever athlete from the country to grace the halls of Madame Tussauds.

His wax figure will star alongside the world’s top athletes including legendary football players Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham.

The website said Chong Wei marks his spot in the hall of fame with a record 349 weeks as the top badminton player worldwide – spending a consecutive 199 weeks at the top spot.

With 69 super series titles under his belt, he has also represented Malaysia as a Unicef goodwill ambassador, it said.

In November 2019, the website said Chong Wei was put through a six-hour “sitting” as the team from Madame Tussauds meticulously took more than 200 measurements of the iconic athlete.

Making the wax figure extra special, Chong Wei had donated his official jersey from his final Olympics performance in Rio 2016, it said.

The website appended a few photos of Chong Wei, including him with his wax figure at Madame Tussauds Singapore and him with his fans at the Fan Meet and Greet session.

Chong Wei said he is so excited to finally be able to show his wax figure to fans from all around the world.

“A lot of time and effort has been put in by the team at Madame Tussauds. They have been so meticulous at their job recreating me and I am so grateful for this opportunity,” he said.

According to Madame Tussauds Singapore, Malaysia Airlines and Firefly are the official airline partner for this launch.

Fans who wish to see the wax figure can visit Madame Tussauds Singapore’s website to purchase attraction tickets before the wax figure jets off to Hong Kong for permanent display. – Bernama, October 13, 2022.