KUALA LUMPUR: Chery Malaysia is the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup (LCWC) badminton tournament.
LCWC is former Malaysian professional badminton player Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei's way of giving back to the sport.
Lee is one of the most successful shuttlers in the history of the badminton circuit, with three Olympic silver medals, 69 Badminton World Federation titles, and held the world number one ranking for a record 349 weeks (including a 199-week run for four consecutive years from 2008-2012).
The LCWC, which aims to mirror Lee's successful career that spans across two decades, has been endorsed by the Lee Chong Wei Foundation and sanctioned by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
More information regarding venue and date of the LCWC event will be released at a later date.
The LCWC marks Lee's maiden badminton event ownership since retiring in 2019.
About 3,200 competitors are expected to take part, and they will be spread across three categories of Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17.
It will feature Boys’ Singles, Girls’ Singles, Boys’ Doubles, Girls’ Doubles and Mixed Doubles - all played over a single leg during its debut year, with a lucrative prize purse of RM100,000 as the total prize pool.
“Badminton has always united Malaysians from all walks of life, and I hope the LCWC can also become a talent development platform for our young players,” said the highly coveted 43-year-old ex-shuttler.
“Lee Chong Wei has always been our biggest success story, and we are thrilled to support him as he embarks on his mission to give back to the sport. With his stature as Malaysia’s beloved badminton hero, we are confident of witnessing many talents at the LCWC,” said Badminton Association of Malaysia president Tengku Datuk Sri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Chery Corporate Malaysia vice-president Cheng Nam Weng said the company was committed to supporting initiatives that create lasting, positive impact for the community.
"Partnering with the Lee Chong Wei Cup allows us to stand alongside a programme that nurtures young talent, promotes inclusivity, and inspires strong values through sport. As the fastest growing international automotive brand in Malaysia, we believe in giving back meaningfully by empowering the next generation in strengthening our nation’s sporting future,” he said.
"With guidance from Datuk Seri Lee, and the support from BAM, we believe this platform will help identify emerging talent at a young age and give them the structure to develop - technically and mentally. We are confident that many bright futures will begin here, and we certainly look forward to seeing them become world champions too one day," said Chery Malaysia vice president Lee Wen Hsiang.
The sponsorship marks Chery’s continued commitment in supporting the local sports industry.
Previously, Chery supported the 2024 Paris Olympics medallists as well as the Malaysian contingent at the Asian Youth Para Games 2025.
