KUALA LUMPUR – Paralympic gold medallist Cheah Liek Hou aspires to leave an enduring legacy in the world of badminton.
At 35 years old, the world’s top-ranked para-shuttler is gearing up for his fourth appearance in the men’s singles category at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
Liek Hou, who boasts an impressive collection of 26 career gold medals, including his triumph at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, emphasised the critical need for the growth of para-badminton in the country.
“Currently, we only have one replacement and a backup player in my category.
“We need more players in the camp so that we can have more sparring sessions, thus building more talented players for the betterment of the sport in the future,” said Liek Hou when met recently.
In preparation for the Asian Para Games, Liek Hou chose not to set a personal gold medal target this year, expressing his desire to compete without undue pressure.
“For me, my only target is to win a medal in this year’s Asian Games.
“I don’t have any personal targets for winning a compulsory gold medal, as I have already won it all in previous competitions.
“This time, I aim to perform at my best and, hopefully, secure the gold,” he added.
Cheah, recently honoured with the Best Para Athlete award at the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100Plus awards in August, has claimed a total of six medals – four gold and two bronze – in both men’s singles and doubles categories since his debut at the Para-Asian Games in 2010.
Malaysia has set a target of 35 medals for the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, scheduled from October 22 to 28, without specifying the medal colours.
The Malaysian delegation comprises 113 athletes and 63 officials, participating in 104 out of the 564 sports events.
A total of 54 athletes will be making their debuts at the Games. – October 16, 2023