Badminton women's pair end 21-year Deaflympics gold drought

Boon Wei Ying.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deaf women's badminton doubles pair Boon Wei Ying-Foo Zu Tung have ended Malaysia's 21-year gold medal drought at the Deaflympic games.

The duo won the gold at the 24th Games in Caxias do Sul, Brazil, yesterday (early Thursday (May 12) morning in Malaysia).

Wei Ying and Zu Tung achieved the success in a thrilling 48-minute action by defeating the world number pair from Taiwan, Fan Jung-yu-Shen Yan-ru, 21-17, 17-2, 21-15.

The last time Malaysia won gold in the biennial games was in 2001 which was contributed by deaf male athlete Zana Azizul Ujang in the 110 metres hurdles event at the Deaflympic Games in Rome,Italy.

Not only that, Wei Ying also won a silver medal by pairing up with Edmund Teo Seng Keong in the mixed doubles event. They lost to Indian pair, Abhinav SharmaJevlin Jayaratchagan 14-21.7-21 in the final.

Wei Ying also won a bronze medal in the women's singles event after Japan's Mai Yakabe withdrew from the bronze play off due to Covid-19. - Bernama