Chinese badminton player, 17, dies after collapsing on court

Zhang. Photo: Instagram/@badmintonasia.official

JAKARTA - A 17-year-old Chinese player has died after collapsing on court during an international tournament in Indonesia, badminton officials said on Monday.

Zhang Zhijie was taken ill during a match late Sunday against Japan's Kazuma Kawano at the Asian Junior Badminton Mixed Team Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The score was 11-11 in the first game when Zhang suddenly fell to the floor.

A doctor and medical team were quickly on the scene and he was taken to hospital by ambulance within minutes, but passed away.

"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.

"He was sent to the hospital where he passed away at 23:20 local time yesterday.

"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.

"Badminton Asia, PBSI and the organising committee are immensely saddened and expressed their deepest condolences to Zhang's parents, family, and the Chinese Badminton Association."

"The world of badminton has lost a talented player," the statement added. - AFP