PETALING JAYA: For Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, seeing Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik become the first Malaysian world champions was the perfect birthday gift.
Norza, who was at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium yesterday, was moved beyond words by the players’ remarkable feat.
“I was crying for joy. This World Championships win happened during my presidency. This is perfect because I turned 56 today and in three days’ time our nation will be celebrating its 65th independence day. This is amazing,” said Norza.
“It is not easy being the president of the number one sport in Malaysia. Finally, we have a world champion. Being a badminton powerhouse, we have rectified history by having world champions.”
Norza said Aaron and Wooi Yik have been resilient in their pursuit of success and realised their growth since winning the 2020 Olympics bronze medal in Tokyo last year.
Despite their hoodoo in the semi-final stage of Open tournaments, they were resilient and focused in Tokyo.
“They failed in six semi-finals, but that didn’t deter them. They remained focused and not only have they broken the semi-final jinx, they have given us a Merdeka gift.
“The main word I always use when it comes to player development is trust the process. Building Aaron and Wooi Yik was not a one-night affair. They had their ups and downs, but they believed in the process.
“All Malaysians should be happy. For the Malaysian badminton family, they have fulfilled the dreams of everyone.
“God willing, we will have more. I’ve to also thank coach Rexy (Mainaky) for a well-constructed strategy for this campaign.
“Now that we have world champs, it will definitely inspire our younger generation. Whether they come from BAM or elsewhere, there is confidence now that we can achieve better results and titles in the future.”
