KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Cheah Liek Hou was relieved after overcoming a demanding schedule to capture the Asian Para Games men's doubles SU5 gold medal with Faris Azri today.
Their victory in Ichinomiya City marked Malaysia's first badminton gold at the Asian Para Games since 2014, when Liek Hou completed a double in Incheon following his success at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
Liek Hou, 38, won the men's doubles title in 2010 and 2014 with Suhaili Laiman before securing his third crown alongside Faris with a 21-8, 21-13 win over South Korea's Jeon Sun Woo-Kim Ge Yeon in their final group match.
The Malaysians topped the four-pair league after earlier defeating Taiwan's Fang Jen Yu-Pu Gui Yu and Thailand's Pricha Somsiri-Nattaphon Thaweesap, before wrapping up the title with a 29-minute win over the South Koreans.
Just two hours earlier, Liek Hou-Faris had faced each other in the men's singles quarter-finals, where the former won 21-12, 21-10 in 27 minutes to reach the semi-finals.
The victory brought redemption for Liek Hou, who suffered disappointment at Hangzhou 2022 after losing the men's singles gold to Indonesia's Dheva Anrimusthi and securing only a doubles bronze with former partner Fareez Anuar.
"I am glad to win an Asian Para gold after 12 years. It was not easy because everyone is improving in singles and doubles, so we needed to be fully focused," said Liek Hou.
"We could not underestimate any of our opponents and had to give 100 per cent as they used different strategies. I am happy to finally end my wait for gold.
"I am also relieved to overcome a tough schedule, and the priority now is to recover for the singles semi-finals tomorrow," he said.
The pair will receive their gold medals on Friday after all remaining finals are completed.
"Hopefully, I can also be on the podium for the singles," said Liek Hou.
With the doubles title secured, Liek Hou continues his pursuit of a third singles gold.
However, he faces a stern test in the semi-finals against China's Li Ming Pan, who defeated him at the same stage in last year's China Para Badminton International.
"I have to put this title win aside as I have the singles semi-final tomorrow against the young Chinese player.
Hopefully, I will be in good condition to face him," Liek Hou added.
In other matches, wheelchair singles (WH1) player Ikhwan Ramli missed out on the semi-finals after a 17-21, 21-16, 21-11 quarter-final defeat to South Korea's Choi Jung Man in 55 minutes.
However, Ikhwan bounced back in the doubles (WH1-WH2) alongside Noor Azwan Noorlan, defeating India's Abu Hubaida-Premkumar Ale 21-6, 21-16 to reach the semi-finals.
They will face China's Qu Zi Mo-Mai Jian Peng for a spot in the final.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd