A WAX figure of national badminton legend Lee Chong Wei will be exhibited at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong from March 18.

The wax figure, which was completed in October last year, was on display at Madame Tussauds Singapore and arrived in Malaysia today. It will be permanently moved to Hong Kong tomorrow.

At a ceremony introducing the wax figure in Kuala Lumpur today, Lee thanked the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), which helped him achieve various successes during his 19-year stint there.

“Nineteen years in BAM, they were with me (when) I’m nothing and after I became something, I have to admit, my career was like a rollercoaster.

“The thing that sticks with me was when I faced my doping case while qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics, my ranking fell to 182. But with everyone’s support, especially BAM, I returned as world no. 1 in 11 months,” he said.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who was present at the ceremony, said Lee’s success was a source of the country’s pride, and is something current young athletes should strive for.

“I am very happy Madame Tussauds Hong Kong will display this wax figure of Lee Chong Wei, who is our national pride. My ministry is very committed in highlighting our country’s sporting potential,” she said.

Yeoh’s deputy Adam Adli Abdul Halim and Olympic Council of Malaysia president and BAM president Mohamad Norza Zakaria were also present.

Lee’s wax figure is dressed in a blue-coloured national jersey and shorts, as well as blue-green shoes, with a racquet he used at the 2016 Olympics. – Bernama, March 3, 2023.