Sebak...Surat Yang Dibalas Lee Chong Wei Kepada Lin Dan, Kali Ini Lebih Mengharukan dan Sebak!
THIS IS WHAT LEE CHONG WEI REPLIED :
“I will reply to this letter by using Chinese although most know I can speak fluent but when I actually text it out, I am not even close to the way I speak but as a respect,I will do so, to tell the story of us.
In the year 2000 is when I first met you and we took a picture together. I remember back then you always like to look cool and look good. You like to dress up in a shirt with coat and a shiny pair of shoes. Those were the days where both of us were still very young and I never thought our story will be for so long and interesting.
But then I realised that Taufik and Gade was still competing. No matter how hard we try to play and win against them, we can never ever take a medal or trophy away against at the point of time. There is when both of us be very patient and bare with the anger inside of us.
I knew you were going through hardcore training and I did was too be even more hardcore than you do. You train 10 hours a day, I will train more than 10 hours a day. Every single time when I am about to give up, your shadow will run across my mind and a question will appear. The question is, “If I cannot beat Lin Dan, how can I be crowned as the legend?"
Finally, there was a day where I stepped up to my game with an aim. I thought that I am ready, I want to use champion to prove myself.
Sadly, the world is cruel. In the 2012 Beijing Olympics, You were crazy and was at the top of your form. Although I was ranked #1 in the world ranking, you killed my hope at the very last moment when my dream is about to come true. A year after when I we met in London, I saw you so hyped up after the victory throwing your racquets and the happy face of yours, it saddens me. I didn’t want to stand back up because the results is too hard for me to accept and it is too torment for me. Throughout these 4 years, there’s n0t one time, that I wasn’t thinking about how to defeat you, but the result is still bitter and I only got a silver.
I have too many silver medals, while you have too many gold. I want a gold medal. Even if it’s just one gold medal from major competition, just one.
I continue to train harder and harder until I do not know how many pairs of shoes were torn, how many racquets was broken and I didn’t even know the differences between day and night as I was only hibernating and training in the stadium. Every part of my mind was occupied with all relevant thoughts about you. Sometimes I wonder, why did I have to be facing such a talent in my career? If it wasn’t because of your appearance, the legacy could have been mine. The fact is your presence is something nobody could change and all I can do is to defeat you, to get the ultimate dream of mine.
Although that was in my mind but we sometimes will communicate through text from time to time to keep connected because I don’t only see you as my rival but I also at the same time treat you as my best friend. In the 13th World Championships, before I could put up a good fight, I already lost my game due to injuries. You came right away to my side and ask me if I was fine and I couldn’t do much but to give up the competition.
After that, I realise that I am old and you are no longer that young too. There are too many contestants aged at the 20s coming by to knock us down. Sometimes I am defeated by them but the only rival in my memory and heart is only you, the Super Dan! Only by winning you, I feel that the trophy and victory brings a great meaning. Most of the media will often question when will be the end of the ‘Lee-Lin’ battle and all I know is each time we play, represents a chance lesser because we are slowly aging and no longer like before.
Yesterday, I finally won you! I was so overwhelmed because I finally did it on a big and meaningful competition. It’s not that I am afraid I couldn’t get a gold medal but it’s because I was so eager to defeat you. Everybody wants to be a warrior of something, only by defeating you, I feel so proud of myself.
When I exchange my jersey with yours and we hugged each other, looking at the straps and bandage we have on our body makes me realise that we aged even more than I expected. On that moment, I feel like rewinding to how it was before. I know it is impossible to do so but this memory will always be carved in my heart.
If it wasn’t you who appeared in my career, no matter how hard I push myself, it brings no meaning to me.
Brother, finally in the Olympics Finals this year, you can rest and not playing against me anymore. So, please lend me your applause. Would you?” – Lee Chong Wei.
- the coverage
