Fast and furious action in January – and the whole year

JANUARY came and went in a flash – not quite as fast as Jamaican Usain Bolt but close enough to make you realise you hardly had time to blink.

Sports fans saw a whirlwind month of action, both at home and abroad, mixed with a fair share of off-field drama.

Malaysian badminton burst out of the blocks when former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik did the nation proud by reaching the men’s doubles final at a packed Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, before falling to South Korea’s red-hot Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae.

Malaysia then enjoyed a rare treble at the Indonesian Masters through reigning world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles), Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (men’s doubles) and Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women’s doubles) – a feat not achieved in decades.

The return of Lee Zii Jia after months on the sidelines also generated excitement, although he is still searching for his rhythm.

Our para athletes played their part too, helping Malaysia finish third overall at the Asean Para Games in Thailand with an impressive 64-64-73 medal haul.

Then came the sour notes.

Football Association of Malaysia office-bearers resigned en bloc following FIFA sanctions over doctored documents involving seven mixed-heritage players – a controversy that brought embarrassment to the organisation, and the nation.

But why step down now, when an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is already under way?

Shouldn’t they have done so last year when FIFA first exposed the wrongdoing – sparing taxpayers the cost of legal battles?

We will find out more when CAS deliver their verdict on Feb 26.

Elsewhere, Ruben Amorim paid the price for Manchester United’s struggles in the Premier League, with Michael Carrick stepping in and steadying the ship. And the ship is steaming away at top speed now.

Tennis fans witnessed history as Carlos Alcaraz of Spain became the youngest player at 22 to complete a career Grand Slam with his maiden Australian Open title.

It was disappointing to see Serbian Novak Djokovic bow out, but he remains one of the game’s most colourful and enduring characters.

And that was just January.

It is merely the tip of the iceberg, with 2026 shaping up to be a blockbuster year.

The All-England takes centrestage in March, followed by the Thomas-Uber Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark.

Can Malaysia lift the Thomas Cup for the first time since 1992? That may depend on a miraculous revival in the singles department.

Then comes the mother of all sporting events – the World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19, featuring 48 teams for the first time from the earlier 36.

Expect late nights and early mornings and most Malaysians going late to work. Who will win? My pick is Argentina but then, I am biased!

There’s more for sports junkies. The Commonwealth Games roll in from July 23-Aug 2, followed by Malaysia Games (Sukma) from Aug 15-24, with hosts Selangor promising to use the platform to unearth future stars.

Badminton fans will also be glued to their screens for the World Championships in New Delhi from Aug 17-23.

Will Tang Jie-Ee Wei defend their crown; and will Pearly-Thinaah finally break through? Can Aaron-Wooi Yik bag their second?

The Asian Games in Japan from Sept 19-Oct 4 could also be pivotal, especially for squash.

Defending champions Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari have a chance to book early tickets to the LA28 Olympics if they strike gold again, with squash making its debut on the Olympic stage.

Malaysia’s best Asiad showing remains 9-18-14 in Guangzhou 2010 – can we hit double figures in gold for the first time?

Athletes from track and field, diving, bowling, martial arts and others are fired up to make a statement.

Hopefully, the rest of the year will be remembered for thrilling performances on court – not infighting and unsportsmanlike conduct off it.

Because just like January, everything will pass in the blink of an eye.

So let us savour every match, every moment, every memory.

Before we know it, the Year of the Horse will be gone – galloping away as fast and as furious as Usain Bolt.