KUALA LUMPUR – Despite being at the peak of his career, two-time Paralympic champion Cheah Liek Hou has hinted at retirement, stating that he is not ready to commit to defending his gold medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.
The 36-year-old para shuttler told reporters yesterday that focusing on the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games is a more realistic goal at this stage in his career.
“Given my advancing age, the LA 2028 is too far ahead for me to commit to. I won’t focus on that now,” Liek Hou said after returning from the Paris Paralympics last night.
“I’d rather concentrate on the 2026 Asian Para Games and monitor my condition. If I can still compete, I will. But I’m not focused on the 2028 Paralympics,” added the eight-time world champion in the men’s singles SU5 category.
Liek Hou also expressed confidence that the National Sports Council (NSC) would extend the contract of his coach, Nova Armada, whom he credited for helping him defend his gold medal.
“When I won gold in Tokyo three years ago, I was training under coach Rashid Sidek. But at 36, defending that medal is no easy feat.
“There are, of course, differences in coaching styles and methods. Without Nova, I doubt I would have been able to defend the gold medal.
“Badminton isn’t a one- or two-day event. To win gold, you need to be in top form for five consecutive days.
“At my age, approaching retirement, I’m proud to have defended my gold medal at the highest level. I’m very happy with my achievement,” Liek Hou added.
Liek Hou also told Scoop earlier that he plans to stay out of the spotlight for a while to spend more quality time with his family.
In the Paris Paralympics final, Liek Hou successfully defended his gold medal by defeating Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho 21-13, 21-15 at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena.
Another Malaysian SU5 shuttler, Fareez Anuar, narrowly missed out on a medal, losing 17-21, 21-19, 21-12 to Indonesia’s Dheva Anrimusthi in the bronze medal playoff. – September 11, 2024