Kuala lumpur: 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.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the trophy is entirely handcrafted from premium-grade brass with a gold-plated finish and a solid teak wood base. It was unveiled at a simple yet meaningful ceremony today. Themed 'Journey Towards Excellence and Inspiring Champions', its design draws inspiration from Chong Wei's career journey and embodies the values of determination, discipline, humility, and resilience.
The trophy's features include Chong Wei's image, a curved design symbolizing momentum and endurance, and racket and net motifs representing precision, technical mastery, and focus. A three-dimensional shuttlecock pointing upwards signifies 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, expressed that organizing the tournament is part of his efforts to nurture a new generation of Malaysian badminton players and elevate 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 stated at a press conference for the unveiling of the LCWC 2026 trophy.
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, making it the richest prize pool for a junior badminton tournament in Malaysia. The tournament will also implement the 15x3 scoring system, which is set to be officially introduced on the Badminton World Federation World Tour next year.
Chong Wei, who was ranked world number one for 349 weeks, including 199 consecutive weeks from 2008 to 2012, also boasts three Olympic silver medals and 69 BWF titles to his name.