PUTRAJAYA: Lee Zii Jia has once again been named among Malaysia’s Olympic medal hopefuls after earning a spot in the provisional list for the Road to Gold (RTG) programme ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The 27-year-old independent men’s singles shuttler was shortlisted based on his recent achievements, which include a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and his current world No. 8 ranking.
However, the decision now rests with Zii Jia on whether he wishes to join the RTG programme or continue preparing independently, as he did in the lead-up to the Paris Games.
Team LZJ has until May to respond, before the final list of RTG athletes is confirmed. The programme is part of Malaysia’s long-term push to win its first Olympic gold medal.
“We will hold a meeting in May with the athletes and their respective sports associations to understand their needs and requests. However, evaluations will now be conducted every six months instead of every three,” said RTG programme coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam.
