A shocking event transpired inside the badminton court as a 17-year-old Chinese player, Zhang Zhijie, died during a match due to cardiac arrest. The incident took place during Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The disturbing visual of the same has surfaced on social media.
The score was 11-11 in the first game when Zhang suddenly collapsed on the floor. A few medical personnel attended to him and rushed him to the hospital. However, the efforts to resuscitate him failed and was pronounced dead.
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17-year-old Chinese badminton player Zhang Zhijie dies of cardiac arrest after collapsing on the court during a tournament in Indonesia. pic.twitter.com/nCROIJiFDH
Issuing a joint statement, Badminton Asia and the Badminton Association of Indonesia said:
“China’s Zhang Zhijie, a singles player, collapsed on the court during a match in the evening. He was attended to by the tournament doctor and medical team. He was taken in the standby ambulance in less than two minutes and sent to hospital. The world of badminton has lost a talented player.”
The Chinese Badminton Association, meanwhle, stated: “Zhang Zhijie loved badminton and was an outstanding athlete of the national youth badminton team. At present the local hospital has not yet identified the cause of death.”
Zhang Zhijie emerged into the professional world of badminton last year by joining China’s youth team. He also clinched the title of Dutch Junior International earlier this year.
To honour Zhang, the tournament observed a moment’s silence in his memory.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)