A 17-year-old badminton player from China collapsed and died suddenly on the court during a competition in Indonesia, authorities said on Monday.
The player, Zhang Zhijie, was in the midst of a match with a Japanese opponent when he collapsed and had seizures at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships on Sunday, ABC News reported.
Indonesia’s Badminton Association reported that Zhijie was treated on the scene and taken to a local hospital but died of cardiac arrest.
“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,” said Broto Happy, spokesperson of the Badminton Association of Indonesia.
The stricken player’s fellow competitors held a moment of silence in his honor as the tournament continued.
The Chinese Badminton Association said it was shocked by the incident and offered condolences to Zhijie’s family.
“We feel deeply distressed over the unfortunate death of Zhang Zhijie from a sudden illness while competing in an international competition,” the organization’s statement said. “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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