PETALING JAYA, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Weighing 12.5 kilogrammes, standing 60 centimetres tall, gold-plated and featuring an image of Datuk Seri Dr Lee Chong Wei, the exclusive trophy will be up for grabs at the inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup (LCWC) Badminton Championships from Aug 29 to Sept 6.
Entirely handcrafted from premium-grade brass with a gold-plated finish and a solid teak wood base, the challenge trophy was unveiled at a simple yet meaningful ceremony here today.
Themed “Journey Towards Excellence & Inspiring Champions”, its design was inspired by Chong Wei’s career journey and the values of determination, discipline, humility and resilience.
Besides Chong Wei’s image, the trophy’s curved design symbolises momentum and endurance, while the racket and net motifs represent precision, technical mastery and focus.
A three-dimensional shuttlecock pointing upwards symbolises young players’ aspirations to reach the highest level in the sport, completing the trophy’s distinctive design.
Chong Wei, who is also the founder of LCWC, said organising the tournament was part of his efforts to nurture a new generation of Malaysian badminton players and take them to greater heights.
“The Cup is my dream and also my passion. I want to help develop Malaysia’s young generation and bring them to a different level.
“This is also my way of giving back to the country and to the association. I spent 19 years with the national team, so I want to give something back and help build the next generation,” Chong Wei said at a press conference for the unveiling of the LCWC 2026 trophy here.
The LCWC features Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 categories in boys’ and girls’ singles, boys’ and girls’ doubles, as well as mixed doubles.
A total of RM100,000 in prize money is on offer, which the organisers said is the richest prize pool for a junior badminton tournament in Malaysia.
The tournament will also use the 15x3 scoring system, which is scheduled to be officially implemented on the Badminton World Federation World Tour next year.
Chong Wei was ranked world number one for 349 weeks, including 199 consecutive weeks from 2008 to 2012. He also won three Olympic silver medals and 69 BWF titles.
-- BERNAMA