PETALING JAYA: Six Malaysian representatives could create history after being nominated for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Player of the Year awards.
Malaysia stood tall along with China as the only two countries to have six representatives nominated for the awards, which will be held on the eve of the World Tour Finals at Hangzhou from Dec 17-21
Reigning mixed doubles world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei led the way followed by world meet silver medallists Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women’s doubles), world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and world No. 4 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (men’s doubles).
In para badminton, two-time Paralympic champion Cheah Liek Hou has also received the nod both in the men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment) and men’s doubles with Fareez Anuar.
No Malaysian has ever won the award in both the doubles and para categories.
Five-time winner Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei is the only Malaysian to have won the award.
The men’s singles legend nailed it in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016.
Doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky was happy to see his charges nominated.
“Wow, so good,” said Rexy.
Rexy has all the reason to be happy as it underlined the consistent performance of the doubles players. At one stage, Malaysia even struggled to qualify for the Finals.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei were recognised after their historic success in the world meet in Paris in August and will be battling China’s Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping, Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin and Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran for the award.
World No. 2 Pearly-Thinaah, who also created history by becoming the first Malaysians to win a medal in the women’s doubles at the world meet, have been nominated together with China’s Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning, South Korea’s Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee and Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong.
Aaron-Wooi Yik and Sze Fe-Izzuddin have to challenge two other candidates - Koreans Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho and Danes Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen - for the best men’s doubles award.
Liek Hou has to beat Japan’s Daiki Kajiwara, India’s Kumar Nitesh and Korean Park Hae-seong, to lift the award in the men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment) and the men’s doubles along with Fareez Anuar.
The icing on the cake will be for the shuttlers to go all the way and end the season by winning at the finale.
