Teenage Chinese badminton player passes away after collapsing during match

(ECNS) -- The Badminton Asia Confederation and the Badminton Association of Indonesia announced on Monday that 17-year-old Chinese badminton player Zhang Zhijie tragically passed away after collapsing at a match of the 2024 Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Indonesia on Sunday.

The announcement stated that Zhang fainted on the court during a group stage match against Japan. He was attended by the tournament doctor and medical team and rushed to the hospital by ambulance within two minutes, where he passed away at 23:20 local time.

The Badminton Asia Confederation, the Indonesian Badminton Association, and the organizing committee expressed their deepest condolences to Zhang's family and the Chinese Badminton Association. 

The word of badminton has lost a talented player, the announcement said.

Zhang, born in Jiaxing Province in 2007, joined the Chinese national youth team in 2023. He had claimed titles such as the 2022 National U-Series Badminton Competition U15-17 Finals champion and the 2023 National Youth Badminton Championship Group B men's singles winner, the Men's Singles title at the 2024 Dutch Junior Badminton International Grand Prix, and the Team title at the 2024 National Youth Badminton Championships.