Peng Soon our champion, says dad

Peng Soon with his silver medal at the Rio Olympics

GEORGE TOWN: "Win or lose, I am still proud of the achievement of Peng Soon at the Olympic Games," said Chan Chee Kong, the father of the national mixed doubles player.

Chee Kong, 57, described Peng Soon's performance in the final as an honour to the family.

"I am proud that Peng Soon eventually suceeded in fulfilling his dream of becoming a truly international badminton athlete," he said after watching the game at a coffee shop in Taman Desa Mawar, Bandar Baru Air Itam, here on Wednesday.

The national doubles pair of Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying grabbed the silver medal after losing to the Indonesian pair of Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir, 14-21 and 12-21, in a 45-minute encounter.

Chee Kong said upon returning to Penang, he would take Peng Soon to the temple as a sign of gratitude for making it to the final in Rio de Janeiro.

"Although he failed to beat the Indonesian pair, he had at least contributed the silver to the country tonight," he said.

Peng Soon's mother, Loo Leng Hua, 53, said her son had shown a good performance throughout the match.

"Despite the loss, Peng Soon is still the champion as far as the family is concerned," she said.

Also present to see the match were Peng Soon's brother and sister, Chan Peng Keat, 25, and Chan Lay Cheng, 26, as well as Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Hunza Properties director Datuk Seri Khor Teng Tong.

Earlier, about 300 Penang residents witnessed the final on a big screen put up by Hunza Properties.

Khor also announced that Hunza Properties would give an incentive of RM50,000 to Peng Soon and the state government would also give RM100,000 to the national player in appreciation of his contribution in bringing glory to the nation at the international level. – Bernama