Zhang Zhijie (simplified Chinese: 张志杰; traditional Chinese: 張志傑; pinyin: Zhāng Zhìjié; 30 January 2007 – 30 June 2024) was a Chinese badminton player.[3] He played for China in the 2024 Badminton Asia Junior Championships before his death.[1]
| Zhang Zhijie 张志杰 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Country | China | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 30 January 2007[1] Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 30 June 2024 (aged 17) Yogyakarta, Indonesia | ||||||||||||||
| Event | Men's singles | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| BWF profile | |||||||||||||||
Career
editZhang won the 2024 Dutch Junior International beating fellow Chinese player Hu Zhean 21–10, 11–21, 13–21.[4]
Zhang went on to reach the final at the 2024 German Junior before losing to Wang Zijun 13–21, 21–16, 16–21.[4]
At the 2024 Badminton Asia Junior Championships' award ceremony, Zhang's jersey was lifted onto the podium. He was awarded the gold posthumously.[5]
Death
editZhang was playing against Kazuma Kawano in a match during the 2024 Badminton Asia Junior Championships. He collapsed onto the court when the score was 11-11 and died of cardiac arrest.[6]
Indian badminton player P. V. Sindhu and Malaysian badminton player Lee Chong Wei offered condolences to Zhang's family. Badminton World Federation, Badminton Asia, Chinese Badminton Association and Badminton Association of Indonesia said that they were deeply saddened by the loss of Zhang.[7][8][9]
Chinese citizens and the Xinhua News Agency criticized the events leading up to his death after a video of his death showed a medic running towards Zhang, then stopping at the edge of court to wait for the referee to give permission. In response, the Badminton Association of Indonesia announced that they would ask the Badminton World Federation to re-consider the rule requiring medics to wait for permission before attending to players.[10][11]
As of 18 July 2024, Zhang’s body is still being held at the Dr. Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta, even after his family’s arrival from China. The situation has left many questioning the delay in repatriating the deceased player’s remains.[12]
Achievements
editBWF Junior International (1 title, 1 runner-up)
editBoys' singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dutch Junior International |  Hu Zhean
|
21–10, 11–21, 21–13 |  Winner
|
| 2024 | German Junior | Wang Zijun
|
13–21, 21–16, 16–21 |  Runner-up
|
- BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament
- BWF Junior International Challenge tournament
- BWF Junior International Series tournament
- BWF Junior Future Series tournament
Notes
edit- ^ Was awarded posthumously.
References
edit- ^ a b "China's shuttler Zhang Zhi Jie dies after collapsing on court". Astro Awani. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "Ini profil Zhang Zhi Jie, pemain badminton China yang meninggal dunia". Astro Awani (in Malay). 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "Zhang Zhi Jie | Profile". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Profil Zhang Zhi Jie, Pebulutangkis China yang Meninggal Dunia saat Main di Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2024 di Indonesia". sports.okezone.com (in Indonesian). July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "中国队夺冠，全队带张志杰球衣上领奖台！印尼羽协称张志杰因心脏骤停离世，抢救细节公布". finance.sina.cn (in Chinese). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ "China badminton player, 17, dies of cardiac arrest after collapsing on court". CNA. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "China badminton player, 17, dies of cardiac arrest after collapsing on court". New Strait Times. July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "向张志杰家属致哀 李宗伟：世界羽联需改进医疗". Oriental Daily (in Chinese). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ "Badminton's rising star Zhang Zhijie dies during match at Asian Juniors". New Strait Times. July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ Wong, Tessa (2 July 2024). "Zhang Zhijie: Chinese teen badminton player's death sparks outcry". BBC. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ "Chinese badminton player, 17, dies after collapsing during match". Fox News. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Daily, The ASEAN (18 July 2024). "Chinese badminton prodigy's body still held in Indonesian hospital weeks after tragic death". THE ASEAN DAILY. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
External links
edit- Zhang Zhijie at BWF.TournamentSoftware.com (alternate link)
- Zhang Zhijie at BWFBadminton.com