PETALING JAYA: National para men’s singles shuttler Cheah Liek Hou ended 2025 on a high after being named the Para men’s Player of the Year 2025 on Monday (Dec 15).
The award was presented at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Gala Night in Hangzhou, where Liek Hou edged out fellow nominees Daiki Kajiwara of Japan, India’s Kumar Nitesh and South Korea’s Park Hae Seong.
It was a long awaited moment for the world No. 1, who finally clinched the honour after being nominated for five consecutive years.
The night got even better for Liek Hou when he was also named Para Badminton Pair of the Year 2025 alongside Mohd Fareez Anuar.
In the women’s para category, the top honour went to Switzerland’s Ilaria Olgati.
In other categories, China’s Shi Yuqi was named men’s Player of the Year, while South Korea’s An Se Young once again claimed the women’s Player of the Year award.
SEA Games Thailand gold medallists Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah were among the nominees for the women’s doubles Pair of the Year award, but the honour went to China’s Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning.
The mixed doubles category followed a similar script, with world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei also shortlisted, but Thailand’s Dechapol Puavranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran taking the top honour.
Malaysia had two pairs in contention for the men’s doubles award in Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, but as widely expected, Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea were crowned men’s doubles Pair of the Year.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Victor Lai, who caught the eye at the World Championships in August, was named the Eddy Choong Rising Star of the Year.
