Chinese junior player Zhang dies during event in Indonesia

YOGYAKARTA: Badminton Asia and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed condolences on Monday over the death of 17-year-old Chinese player Zhang Zhijie, who had collapsed on court during the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Zhang collapsed during a match against Japan, Indonesia’s Badminton Association (PBSI) and Badminton Asia said in a joint statement. The tournament’s medical team arrived on the scene before an ambulance took him to a hospital, where Zhang died at 11:20 p.m, they said. “Badminton Asia, PBSI and the organising committee are immensely saddened and expressed their deepest condolences to Zhang’s parents, family and Chinese Badminton Association,” they said. Indonesia’s National Olympic Committee also offered their deepest condolences on Zhang’s death.