Lee Wan Wah (, born 24 November 1975) is a former badminton player from Malaysia. He is currently the Japan junior team coach.
Career overview
Lee made his debut in Olympic Games in 2000 Sydney. Partnered with Choong Tan Fook, they advanced to the semi-finals stage, but lost to South Korean pair Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung in the rubber game. The duo played in the bronze medal match against another South Korean duo Ha Tae-kwon and Kim Dong-moon, but lost in straight game with the score 2–15, 8–15.
In 2004 Athens, Lee and Choong had a bye in the first round and defeated Pramote Teerawiwatana and Tesana Panvisvas of Thailand in the second. In the quarterfinals, they lost 11–15, 15–11, 15–9 to Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung of South Korea.
In 2008, Lee participated in Jakarta for the Malaysian Thomas Cup team, being Choong's partner. Lee could not compete in the semi-final, because Choong was sick. Consequently, Malaysia was beaten by the defending champion China.
At the Beijing Olympic Games, Lee and Choong, seeded four, surprisingly lost to South Korean Lee Jae-jin and Hwang Ji-man, who captured the bronze medal.
In November 2009, Lee and Choong reached Hong Kong Open Super Series semi-final but they lost to Denmark's Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen.
Coaching
In October 2008, Lee left Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and established a company, Pioneer Sdn Bhd, with fellow badminton players Wong Choong Hann, Chan Chong Ming, and Chew Choon Eng, to coach young badminton players in Kota Damansara and Bandar Mahkota Cheras. They hoped that the company will turn into academies for local and international players.
In 2015, Lee Wan Wah started coaching professionals Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong. Koo and Tan went to look for Lee to be their coach since they Koo and Tan left the national set up. They have a successful partnership under Lee, and Koo and Tan are doing well in tournaments.
Achievements
World Championships
Men's doubles
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#F3E6D7"
| align="center" | 2001
| align="left" |Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, Spain
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Ha Tae-kwon<br /> Kim Dong-moon
| align="left" | 7–15, 15–9, 10–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Bronze Bronze
|- style="background:#F3E6D7"
| align="center" | 2007
| align="left" |Putra Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Markis Kido<br /> Hendra Setiawan
| align="left" | 20–22, 26–28
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Bronze Bronze
|}
World Cup
Men's doubles
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#F3E6D7"
| align="center" | 1997
| align="left" | Among Rogo Sports Hall, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Rexy Mainaky<br /> Ricky Subagja
| align="left" | 12–15, 3–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Bronze Bronze
|}
Commonwealth Games
Men's doubles
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#FFE4B5"
| align="center" | 1998
| align="left" | Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Cheah Soon Kit<br /> Yap Kim Hock
| align="left" | 15–7, 15–4
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Gold Gold
|}
Asian Championships
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" | 1997
| align="left" | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Antonius Ariantho<br /> Denny Kantono
| align="left" | 15–4, 9–15, 7–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Silver Silver
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" | 2000
| align="left" | Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Tony Gunawan<br /> Rexy Mainaky
| align="left" | 8–15, 9–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Silver Silver
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" | 2006
| align="left" | Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Hoon Thien How<br /> Tan Boon Heong
| align="left" | 17–21, 21–11, 21–12
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Gold Gold
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" |2007
| align="left" | Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Koo Kien Keat<br /> Tan Boon Heong
| align="left" | 21–14, 11–21, 21–12
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Gold Gold
|}
SEA Games
Men's doubles
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#FFAAAA"
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | Hassanal Bolkiah Sports Complex, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Tesana Panvisvas<br /> Pramote Teerawiwatana
| align="left" | 15–12, 10–15, 12–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Bronze Bronze
|- style="background:#FFAAAA"
| align="center" | 2001
| align="left" | Malawati Stadium, Selangor, Malaysia
| align="left" | Wong Choong Hann
| align="left" | Sigit Budiarto<br /> Candra Wijaya
| align="left" | 4–15, 5–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Bronze Bronze
|- style="background:#FFAAAA"
| align="center" | 2003
| align="left" | Tan Binh Sport Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Chang Kim Wai<br /> Chew Choon Eng
| align="left" | 15–5, 15–6
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Gold Gold
|}
BWF Superseries and Grand Prix
Men's doubles
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Tournament
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|-
| align="center" | 1996
| align="left" | Malaysia Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Cheah Soon Kit<br /> Yap Kim Hock
| align="left" | 5–15, 3–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 1996
| align="left" | Vietnam Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Liu Yong<br /> Zhang Wei
| align="left" | 15–6, 15–6
| style="text-align:left; background:white"| Winner
|-
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | Singapore Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Tony Gunawan<br /> Candra Wijaya
| align="left" | 15–7, 14–15, 15–12
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|-
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | Dutch Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Martin Lundgaard Hansen<br /> Lars Paaske
| align="left" | 15–4, 6–15, 15–9
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|-
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | German Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Peter Axelsson<br /> Pär-Gunnar Jönsson
| align="left" | 15–9, 15–6
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|-
| align="center" | 2002
| align="left" | Japan Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Chan Chong Ming<br /> Chew Choon Eng
| align="left" | Walkover
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 2003
| align="left" | Hong Kong Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Lee Dong-soo<br /> Yoo Yong-sung
| align="left" | 13–15, 15–6, 6–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 2003
| align="left" | China Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Lars Paaske<br /> Jonas Rasmussen
| align="left" | 12–15, 10–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 2004
| align="left" | All England Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Jens Eriksen<br /> Martin Lundgaard Hansen
| align="left" | 15–9, 13–15, 3–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 2004
| align="left" | Malaysia Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Luluk Hadiyanto<br /> Alvent Yulianto
| align="left" | 15–12, 15–7
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|-
| align="center" | 2005
| align="left" | China Masters
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Guo Zhendong<br /> Xie Zhongbo
| align="left" | 10–15, 4–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 2005
| align="left" | Dutch Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Keita Masuda<br /> Tadashi Ōtsuka
| align="left" | 15–7, 15–4
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|-
| align="center" | 2006
| align="left" | All England Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Jens Eriksen<br /> Martin Lundgaard Hansen
| align="left" | 6–15, 17–14, 2–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|-
| align="center" | 2006
| align="left" | Hong Kong Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Markis Kido<br /> Hendra Setiawan
| align="left" | 24–22, 16–21, 20–22
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|- style="background:#FFFFCC"
| align="center" | 2007
| align="left" | Singapore Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Cai Yun<br /> Fu Haifeng
| align="left" | 21–16, 22–24, 18–21
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|- style="background:#FFFF67"
| align="center" | 2007
| align="left" | Macau Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Koo Kien Keat<br /> Tan Boon Heong
| align="left" | 18–21, 21–17, 21–23
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|- style="background:#FFFFCC"
| align="center" | 2007
| align="left" | French Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Cai Yun<br /> Fu Haifeng
| align="left" | 14–21, 19–21
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | 2008
| align="left" | Vietnam Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Fran Kurniawan<br /> Rendra Wijaya
| align="left" | 21–14, 21–10
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|- style="background:#FFFF67"
| align="center" | 2009
| align="left" | India Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Hendri Kurniawan Saputra<br /> Hendra Wijaya
| align="left" | 21–9, 21–11
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Winner
|- style="background:#FFFF67"
| align="center" | 2009
| align="left" | Thailand Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Chan Peng Soon<br /> Lim Khim Wah
| align="left" | 22–20, 14–21, 11–21
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|- style="background:#FFFF67"
| align="center" | 2009
| align="left" | Macau Open
| align="left" | Choong Tan Fook
| align="left" | Koo Kien Keat<br /> Tan Boon Heong
| align="left" | 14–21, 21–17, 12–21
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Runner-up
|}
: BWF Superseries tournament
: Grand Prix Gold tournament
: Grand Prix tournament
: IBF World Grand Prix tournament
Honour
- Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (A.M.N.) (2000).
References
External links
- Pioneer Badminton Center official website