Malaysia’s Cheah Liek Hou wrested the men’s singles (SU5) badminton title from Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho with a 21-11, 21-15 win in 33 minutes – a revenge, having lost to the Indonesian at the same stage in Singapore in 2015.
The Malaysian celebrated his win by throwing his racquet and his t-shirt to the large group of Malaysian fans who had turned up at the Axiata Center in Bukit Jalil to cheer the Malaysians in their bid to achieve their four-gold target.
This they did in style with Liek Hou clinching the fourth gold. Malaysia had earlier won the men’s singles SS6 (short stature) through Didin Taresoh who beat compatriot Muhammad Naim Ahmad Halmi 21-1, 24-22 in an all Malaysian final, Madzlan Saibon men’s singles wheelchair 2 and Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli-Madzlan in the men’s doubles (WH1-2).
“I threw my racquet and my t-shirt to celebrate my win. Two years ago in Singapore I lost to the same my opponent in the final. It was also to celebrate Malaysia’s fourth gold as it achieved our four-gold target.
“This win means a lot…I want to encourage others like me to take up sports. It is one way for Malaysia to prepare a strong team for the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. We need to start building a strong team from now.
“The last two years I had been losing to the Indonesians. But this time round I was very well prepared and I was fully focused. There is life for para athletes. But in Malaysia it is not easy to train a para athlete,” said Liek Hou.
RESULTS
MEN’S SINGLES
SL3
Ukun Rukaendi (Ina) beat Muhammad Huzairi Abdul Malek (Mas) 21-15, 7-21, 21-11
SL4
Hary Susanto (Ina) beat Chawarat Kitichokwattana (Tha) 21-16, 21-13
SU5
Cheah Liek Hou (Mas) beat Suryo Nugroho (Ina) 21-11, 21-15
SS6
Didin Taresoh (Mas) beat Muhammad Naim Ahmad Halmi (Mas) 21-1, 24-22
WH1
Jakarin Homhaul (Tha) Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli (Mas) 21-13, 16-21, 21-14
WH2
Madzlan Saibon (Mas) beat Truong Ngoc Binh (Vie) 21-10, 21-10
MEN’S DOUBLES
WH1-2
Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli-Madzlan Saibon (Mas) beat Junthong Dumnem-Jakarin Homhaul (Tha) 22-20, 21-19
SU5
Dheva Anrimusthi-Hafizh Billiansyah Prawiranegara (Ina) beat Suryo Nugroho-Oddie Kurnia Listiant Putra (Ina) 21-15, 21-12
SL3-4
Ukunb Rukaendi-Hary Susanto (Ina) beat Dwiyoko Dwiyoko-Fredy Setiawan (Ina) 21-15, 21-16
WOMEN’S SINGLES
WH2
Amnouv Wetwithan (Tha) beat Sujirat Pookham (Tha) 19-21, 21-15, 21-10
SU5
Warining Rahayu (Ina) beat Norrizah Rahim (Mas) 21-18, 21-16
SL4
Leani Ratri Oktila (Ina) beat Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko (Ina) 21-7, 21-12
MIXED DOUBLES
SL3-SU5
Hary Susanto-Leani Ratri Oktila (Ina) beat Fredy Setiawan-Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko (Ina) 21-11, 21-13
