Badminton: A look back at world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei's career after a 4th All England win
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Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei celebrating his victory following the All England Open Badminton Championships men's singles final match, on March 12, 2017.
PHOTO: AFP
John Pravin Kanesan
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SINGAPORE - Badminton's world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei became the oldest man to win the All England Championship on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Malaysian beat China's Shi Yuqi 21-12, 21-10 in the men's singles final.
More significantly, Lee indicated that he would defend his title next year, dispelling speculation that he was due to retire imminently.
Here's a look at his career over the years:
The highs
Lee clinched his fourth All England badminton title on Sunday - bringing his tally of BWF World Superseries Premier titles to 12.
He has a total of 28 BWF World Superseries titles, twice as many as his arch-rival, Lin Dan of China.
He has been ranked No. 1 for a total of 324 weeks.
The lows
Malaysia's most successful Olympian has won three Olympic silver medals but never stood on the top step of the podium.
He was denied by Lin twice (2008 and 2012).
Last year, he fell to another Chinese, Chen Long , in Rio. Then 33, the loss meant that Lee will end his career without Olympic gold.
The other major title to elude him is the World Championship. His collection includes three runner-up finishes and a third placing.
On April 27, 2015, it was announced that Lee had been handed a backdated eight-month ban for violating anti-doping rules.
He had tested positive for dexamethasone after urine samples were taken during the World Championships in 2014.
He was consequently stripped of his silver medal from that tournament.
Following last year's defeat in the Olympic final, he failed to win any tournament he participated in from September. He was defeated in the third round of the Denmark Open, pulled out from the French Open due to a hamstring injury, and ended the year with a group-stage exit in the Super Series Finals.
Other multiple winners of the All England Open in recent years:
Lin Dan (6): Won in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2016.
Chen Long (2): Won in 2013 and 2015.
Chen Hong (2): Won in 2002 and 2005.
