Yogyakarta: 17-year-old Chinese badminton player Zhang Zhijie has passed away.
According to a statement from Badminton Asia and the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI), Zhang Zhijie collapsed on the court during his match against Kazuma Kawano of Japan at the 2024 Asia Junior Championships mixed team event. He was taken to the hospital and passed away at 11:20 PM local time on Sunday.
In the video below, Zhang can be seen collapsing on the court. Unfortunately, the medical response was notably slow, which was disappointing.
Zhang Zhijie collapsed on June 30 during his match against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead at 11:20 PM. The incident raised concerns as Zhang’s coach, attempting to provide immediate assistance, was stopped by the referee before medical personnel could intervene. This response sparked controversy and calls for improved emergency protocols.
Born in January 2007 in Jiaxing, Zhang began playing badminton in kindergarten and joined the Zhejiang provincial team in third grade. In 2023, he was selected for the China national youth team. Zhang achieved notable success, including winning the boys’ singles title at the 2022 China U Series Badminton Championships – the 15-year-old event, and the 2024 Dutch Junior International.
BadmintonPlanet.com extends our deepest sympathies to Zhang’s family during this difficult time.
