Chinese Badminton Player Dies During Match At Just 17 Years Old

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A 17-year-old Chinese badminton player by the name of Zhang Zhijie died after collapsing in the middle of a match during an international tournament being held in Indonesia.

With the score tied at 11-11 in the first game, Zhang began walking towards the net to hit the shuttlecock over to his opponent to serve. Shortly after the move, Zhang stumbled before falling to the ground. He received treatment on-site before being rushed to a hospital via ambulance but passed away after failed resuscitation efforts.

"China's Zhang Zhijie, a singles player, collapsed on the court during a match in the evening," Badminton Asia and the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) said in a joint statement on Monday. ""The world of badminton has lost a talented player," the statement continued

According to Raw Story, Zhang began playing badminton when he was only in kindergarten and ultimately joined the Chinese national youth team in 2023. The teenager went on to win a singles title at the Dutch Junior International earlier this year.

The tournament held a moment of silence on Monday and the Chinese team wore black armbands as a mark of respect.

A PBSI spokesperson confirmed that Zhang had suffered cardiac arrest on the court.

"The conclusion of the examination and treatment of the victim at both hospitals showed the same results, namely that the victim experienced sudden cardiac arrest," PBSI spokesperson Broto Happy said.

"We feel deeply distressed over the unfortunate death of Zhang Zhijie from a sudden illness while competing in an international competition," the Chinese Badminton Association said in a statement. "We express our sincere gratitude to all sectors of the society for the concern and help given to Zhang Zhijie. We will do our best to provide help to Zhang Zhijie’s family."

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.