Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Malaysian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei is already planning a bigger future for the Lee Chong Wei Cup after the inaugural junior tournament attracted more than 2,200 players from across the country.
Encouraged by the response to the nine-day competition, the former world No. 1 hopes to organize two editions next year — one retaining the current domestic format and another featuring international junior players.
The proposed international event would require sanctioning from Badminton Asia and would need to be scheduled carefully to avoid clashes with other major junior badminton tournaments in Malaysia and overseas.
Lee Chong Wei Wants Two LCW Cup Tournaments Next Year
Lee said his current plan is to continue the Malaysian edition while adding a separate international tournament.
“The first one will be similar to this year, which is a local tournament. For the second one, I want to organize an international tournament.”
The three-time Olympic silver medalist said discussions would focus on finding the right period in the badminton calendar before the international edition can be confirmed.
“We are looking at the timing and also seeking sanction from Badminton Asia. We need to find the right date because I don’t want it to clash with other junior tournaments.”
If a suitable slot can be secured, the international Lee Chong Wei Cup would give Malaysian juniors an opportunity to compete against players from other countries without having to wait until major continental or world junior events.
Inaugural LCW Cup Attracts More Than 2,200 Players
The first Lee Chong Wei Cup ran from August 29 and concluded after nine days of competition at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara.
The tournament attracted more than 2,200 junior badminton players from around Malaysia.
Competition was divided into three age categories:
- Under-13
- Under-15
- Under-17
Players competed across five disciplines:
- Boys’ singles
- Girls’ singles
- Boys’ doubles
- Girls’ doubles
- Mixed doubles
The inaugural tournament offered a total prize pool of RM104,000.
LCW Cup Could Become Talent Pipeline for Malaysian Badminton
For Lee, the tournament is about more than trophies and prize money.
He hopes the LCW Cup can also become another pathway for identifying young players with the potential to enter the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s national junior system.
National coaches monitored the tournament and were encouraged to look beyond the obvious champions.
Lee stressed that talent identification should not be limited to players who reached the semifinals or finals.
“Even someone who reached the quarterfinals might show talent and get called up. Even if they lost early, if we see talent, we might call them for selection.”
The idea is to evaluate players based on their overall potential rather than only their final tournament result.
A junior may lose early because of a difficult draw or lack of experience but still demonstrate speed, technique, tactical awareness or physical qualities worth developing.
Promising Players Could Earn BAM Trials
Players who impress national coaches could be invited to attend trials with the national junior program.
That gives the Lee Chong Wei Cup an important developmental purpose: creating another competitive environment where young badminton players from around Malaysia can be seen by national selectors.
Lee, who is also chairman of BAM’s Performance Committee, believes that broader scouting can help prevent talented players from being overlooked simply because they did not win their category.
Shahadzryl Suhaime Wins Under-13 Singles and Doubles
One of the standout performers at the inaugural tournament was Pahang youngster Shahadzryl Suhaime.
Shahadzryl completed an impressive double by capturing both the Under-13 boys’ singles and boys’ doubles titles.
His singles victory was particularly notable because he began the competition in the qualifying rounds.
In the final, Shahadzryl recovered after losing the opening game to defeat Penang’s Jorus Lee 12-15, 15-12, 15-12.
- Champion: Shahadzryl Suhaime of Pahang
- Runner-up: Jorus Lee of Penang
- Score: 12-15, 15-12, 15-12
- Category: Under-13 boys’ singles
Shahadzryl-Gan Giap Han Win Boys’ Doubles
Shahadzryl later teamed up with Gan Giap Han to complete his second championship of the tournament.
The pair defeated Sarawak’s Ahmad Aniq Rafiq and Lucas Ho 15-12, 15-12 in the Under-13 boys’ doubles final.
- Champions: Shahadzryl Suhaime/Gan Giap Han
- Runners-up: Ahmad Aniq Rafiq/Lucas Ho of Sarawak
- Score: 15-12, 15-12
- Category: Under-13 boys’ doubles
By winning both events, Shahadzryl collected RM6,000 in prize money.
More importantly, his performances could earn him and doubles partner Gan Giap Han an opportunity to attend a national junior trial.
Shahadzryl Dreams of Joining Malaysia’s National Team
For Shahadzryl, the possibility of attending a BAM trial could be even more meaningful than the prize money.
“I would be very happy if I get the chance to attend a trial with the national team because that is what I have always wanted.”
The youngster said he entered the competition with the clear ambition of winning.
“From the start, I had already set myself the target of becoming champion.”
His journey from qualifying to two titles illustrates exactly the type of player the tournament hopes to uncover.
International LCW Cup Could Raise Competition Level
Adding an international edition would significantly raise the competitive value of the Lee Chong Wei Cup.
Malaysian juniors would have the chance to face different playing styles and stronger opposition from other badminton nations.
That type of exposure can be especially valuable at Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 level, where players are still developing technically, physically and mentally.
International competition would also allow coaches to measure Malaysian juniors against players of the same age from other countries.
Badminton Asia Sanctioning Will Be Important
Before the international tournament becomes reality, Lee and the organizers will need to secure the necessary sanction from Badminton Asia.
Scheduling will also be critical.
Junior players already compete in national championships, regional tournaments and international events throughout the season, and Lee does not want his competition to create unnecessary conflicts.
That means the proposed international LCW Cup will only move forward once a suitable date can be identified.
Lee Chong Wei Wants to Give Back to Malaysian Badminton
The expansion plan reflects Lee’s continuing involvement in Malaysian badminton after his retirement from professional competition.
As one of the most successful players in the country’s history, Lee spent years competing at the highest level and reached world No. 1 during a career that included three Olympic silver medals.
The Lee Chong Wei Cup now gives him an opportunity to create competitive experiences for the next generation.
Rather than focusing only on elite juniors already inside the national system, the tournament allows players from across Malaysia to compete in front of coaches and selectors.
Successful First Edition Gives LCW Cup Room to Grow
Attracting more than 2,200 participants in its first year provided a strong foundation for the tournament.
The challenge now is to build on that interest without losing the developmental purpose behind the competition.
Keeping a domestic edition would continue providing broad access to Malaysian juniors, while an international edition could expose the strongest young players to a higher level of competition.
If Lee can secure Badminton Asia sanctioning and find an appropriate place in the calendar, the Lee Chong Wei Cup could become a much bigger fixture in junior badminton.
Lee Chong Wei Cup Could Help Discover Malaysia’s Next Badminton Stars
The inaugural tournament has already shown what Lee hoped it could achieve: thousands of young players competing, national coaches watching, and previously lesser-known juniors getting an opportunity to stand out.
Shahadzryl Suhaime’s double-title run is one example of how a tournament like this can bring young talent into the spotlight.
Next year, the scope could become even wider.
With one local tournament and a possible second international edition, Lee Chong Wei is looking to turn the LCW Cup from a successful debut event into a longer-term platform for junior badminton development.
For Malaysia, that could eventually mean something even more valuable than another tournament on the calendar — a new pathway for discovering the players who may one day represent the country on badminton’s biggest stages.
