A Chinese badminton player, Zhang Zhijie, died suddenly after suffering a cardiac arrest [1] during a match in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, according to officials on Monday. The 17-year-old was playing against Kazuma Kawano from Japan in the Asia Junior Championships on Sunday when he collapsed on the court during the first game.
Nothing to see here.
17-year-old Chinese badminton player Zhang Zhijie goes into Cardiac Arrest and dies as he collapsed on the court during a tournament in Indonesia. pic.twitter.com/zb22r5MluB [2]
— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) July 1, 2024 [3]
Despite receiving immediate medical attention at the venue that continued at a nearby hospital, Zhang died later that night. The Badminton Association of Indonesia released a press statement explaining medical personnel’s failed attempts to resuscitate the young player before reaching a conclusion that he experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Zhang’s parents were en route to Yogyakarta to claim his remains.
The medical response following Zhang’s collapse had caused concern among some at the tournament, leading to the release of a video. In response, the Badminton Association of Indonesia stated that medical staff had to wait for refs to authorize their entry into the court before intervening.
China’s badminton association characterized Zhang as a talented athlete loved by the sport, having started playing when he was young, and joining China’s national youth team last year. Zhang had recently won the singles category at the Dutch Junior International, which is an illustrious tournament in the world of youth badminton. After learning of the young athlete’s death, the Chinese team observed a moment of silence and wore black armbands during their match against Taiwan. They also mourned the loss of Zhang in a statement released to the press.
The Badminton World Federation also expressed its sadness over the loss of an emerging talent in badminton, offering condolences to the family, teammates, and entire Chinese badminton community. Tributes have continued to pour in from the world of badminton, including PV Sindhu, India’s double Olympic medalist, who described Zhang’s passing as “absolutely heartbreaking.”