KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s doubles player Soh Wooi Yik is turning his recent triumph into a touching tribute as he plans to gift the luxury car he received from Chery Malaysia to his father Soh Goon Chup, as a heartfelt gesture of gratitude.
Wooi Yik, alongside his partner Aaron Chia and men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia, was honoured with a luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) from Chery Malaysia in recognition of their bronze medal achievements at the Paris Olympics.
The handover ceremony, held in Puchong today, saw each athlete receiving the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro model, valued at RM123,800.
For Wooi Yik, this gift symbolises more than just the culmination of hard work at the Olympics – it is a deeply personal token of appreciation to the man who has been his unwavering pillar of support.
He plans to surprise his father with the car, believing it to be the most meaningful and valuable gift he could offer.
“I think I will give the car to my father, it’s a sign of my appreciation to my family who took good care of me all this while. My father asked me for the car but I have not said anything about it, I want to surprise him.
“Previously, I would only give my father bags or wallets as gifts, but this is the largest and most valuable gift I have ever given him,” said Wooi Yik.
Goon Chup, Wooi Yik’s father, was himself a former national team member, competing in men’s doubles and earning a bronze medal alongside Ong Beng Teong at the 1983 Singapore SEA Games.
In addition to the car, Wooi Yik also received RM100,000 under the Sports Achievement Prize Scheme (Shakam).
At the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris, Aaron and Wooi Yik delivered a stunning comeback, defeating Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skarrup Rasmussen with a score of 16-21, 22-20, 21-19 in the bronze medal match.
Their victory not only secured them the bronze but also mirrored their previous success at the Tokyo Olympics, where they similarly clinched a bronze medal by overcoming Indonesia’s Hendra Setiawan and Muhamad Ahsan. – August 22, 2024