Para badminton star Cheah Liek Hou brought joy to the Malaysian contingent by securing the nation’s first gold medal on September 2 at Paris 2024 Paralympics.
The 36-year-old, reigning as the world number one and top seed, successfully defended his title in the men’s singles SU5 event. He achieved this by defeating Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho with scores of 21-13 and 21-15 in just 45 minutes. This win extended his head-to-head record against Suryo to 14 victories out of 18 matches.
The victory marked Cheah’s second consecutive Paralympic gold, following his win in Tokyo 2020. Celebrating his achievement, Cheah embraced his coach, Nova Armada, and waved the Jalur Gemilang with pride.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh expressed her delight at hearing the national anthem “Negaraku” played. She also hoped that Cheah’s success would inspire other athletes to strive for medals for Malaysia.
Cheah’s Retirement Plans On Hold As He Wants To Keep Fighting For Malaysia
National para badminton ace Cheah Liek Hou has no plans to retire soon and remains determined to keep fighting for his country. He stated that defending his gold medal in the men’s singles SU5 event does not mark the end of his career. He continues to seek further success and aims to bring more glory to Malaysia on the international stage.
While he cannot predict his chances for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, the 36-year-old player is currently focused on competing in the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
“There are still four years before Los Angeles 2028, and I don’t know what will happen to me by then. What’s important is that I focus year by year, maybe on the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan first.
“The gold medal win here shows that my condition is still strong, so I want to set more records and create history in para badminton as long as I can,” he told Bernama.
Post-Paris 2024: Cheah Liek Hou to Reunite with Wife and Thank Key Supporters
The world number one, thrilled with his achievement, mentioned plans to take a break after making significant sacrifices. This included being away from his beloved wife, Dewi Febriana, 31, in his quest to retain his gold at Paris 2024. Cheah plans to take his wife back to her hometown in Medan, Indonesia, and travel abroad to celebrate their success. He wants to acknowledge her unwavering support throughout his journey.
He also expressed deep gratitude to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, including Minister Hannah Yeoh, the National Sports Council, the National Sports Institute, and the Badminton Association of Malaysia for their ongoing support. – BERNAMA
Source: New Straits Times
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