The Malaysian Insight

STEP forward and do not hold back from pursuing sports is Paralympic gold medallist Cheah Liek Hou’s advice to people with disabilities.

Cheah made history in the recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games by not only bagging Malaysia a gold medal but by becoming the first ever men’s singles SU5 (impairment in upper body) gold medallist for para badminton.

Para badminton was included in the sporting fixture for the first time in Tokyo.

The 33-year-old from Kuala Lumpur beat world No. 1 Dheva Anrismusthi 21-17, 21-15 in the men’s badminton singles final to take home the gold.

In an exclusive interview with The Malaysian Insight, Cheah encouraged people with disabilities not to be shy and limit themselves, but to actively take up a sport they like.

“No harm trying whatever sports you like. Try to step forward and go for it even though you are disabled,” he said.

“Maybe it will become your hobby or your favourite sport. Who knows? You will become a champion after that.

“This is what I am trying to tell all disabled people. There is no harm in trying out first, don’t be shy.”

He said by going out to play, people may also be able to make the right connections to take them to greater heights.

He hoped there would be a new generation of shuttlers who will succeed him before he retires.

“I really hope that in these few years there will be replacements for myself like Lee Zii Jia replaced Lee Chong Wei when he retired,” Cheah said.

However, Cheah is not ready to hang up his racquet just yet as he is hoping to play at the next Paralympic Games in Paris, in 2024.

Married to Indonesian Dewi Febriana Tan, Cheah was born with Erb’s Palsy, a form of paralysis in the upper arm due to injury of the nerves caused during development in the womb.

This resulted in him not being able to lift his arm above his shoulders.

The former marketing executive and Universiti Putra Malaysia alumnus has been training under former badminton great Rashid Sidek and has played in both the able bodied and para categories.

How it started

Cheah started playing badminton at the age of nine, as part of extracurricular activities in school.

Taking note of his potential, his parents sent him for professional training. At the age of 15, he joined para badminton and before that he represented Kuala Lumpur in the able bodied category.

“I played in the able bodied category until the age of 21. At 15 I played for both para and able,” he said.

“Before this I couldn’t see a future in para badminton because it was not in the Paralympic Games and the highest title in para badminton is the World Championship, which I took it six times,” he said.

He also took home three golds from the Asian Para Games and five from the Asean Para Games in the singles category.

However, news of the inclusion of para badminton in the Tokyo Paralympics gave him new hope and he returned to the court, having taken on a full-time job.

“I came back but at that time I was very heavy. I had put on a lot of weight and it was hard for me to get back in shape,” Cheah said, adding he had to put in a lot of effort to do so.

“The government listed me as one of its gold medal hopefuls.”

His friends and other players inspired and motivated him not to give up.

Cheah believes that the recent edition of the Paralympics may have evoked more awareness among the public.

“Before this, many people did not know much about Paralympics and para sports, but after the Tokyo Games I can feel that more people recognise this sport,” he said.

He said Paralympians have proven that they can be victorious.

Malaysia finished 39th overall in the Tokyo games with three gold medals and two silver. – September 10, 2021.