KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei grew up watching Datuk Lee Chong Wei making Malaysia proud and getting honoured with the National Sportsman award not once, but four times.
It’s their turn now to inspire the next generation of young talents.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei landed a first for Malaysian badminton after becoming the first mixed doubles pair to win the National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year yesterday.
It is the second national award picked up by the duo who were crowned the Best Athletes for 2025 at the Sportswriters Association Malaysia (SAM)-100PLUS Awards last week.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei also became the first Malaysian mixed doubles pairing to win gold at the World Championships in Paris in addition to winning the Australian Open and finishing runners-up at the China Masters last year.
Tang Jie defeated national wushu athlete Si Shin Peng, silat exponent Mohd Khairi Abib Azhar, bowler Rafiq Ismail and bodybuilder Abdul Aziz Ahmad for the Sportsman award.
Ee Wei claimed the Sportswoman award against an equally strong nominees list that included Tan Cheong Min, Pang Pui Yee (wushu), Emma Firyana Saroji (lawn bowls) and Natasha Roslan (tenpin bowling).
Tang Jie said he was honoured to follow in the footsteps of badminton great Chong Wei, a four-time winner of the award.
“To be honest, I did not expect to win this award.
“We watched Datuk Lee Chong Wei on television when we were kids and he was a hero for Malaysia.
“I hope we (with Ee Wei) can also be an icon for young children and the next generation, just like Chong Wei. He was an inspiration to us. Now we hope to be good role models for the younger generation after this,” said the 28-year-old.
Ee Wei, 25, said winning the award was proof that hard work and discipline will always be rewarded. She also paid tribute to their loyal fans, who have been with them throughout their journey.
“If we work hard, stay disciplined and believe in God, we will definitely be rewarded with good things.
“We want to thank all our fans, because when we were down, they were always behind us.
“We gain strength from their support and it gives us added motivation to keep fighting.”
There was a surprise in the Paralympic Sportsman of the Year category as track cyclist Mohd Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin upstaged powerlifting world champion and world record holder Bonnie Bunyau Gustin to win the award.
Long jumper Datuk Abdul Latif Romly was also nominated for the award.
Yusof created history last year as the first Malaysian para-cyclist to win a World Championship gold, winning the men’s C1 sprint title in Brazil.
A shocked Yusof dedicated the award to his parents.
“I saw the nomination list and I was up against Bonnie and Latif, I never thought I would be selected ahead of them.
“Winning this award is a reward for the hard work I have put in over the last 10 years. It was my dream to win this award one day.”
The Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year award went to swimmer Carmen Lim, who won seven medals and broke a Games record at the Thailand Asean Para Games in December.
Jariah Zakaria (lawn bowls) and K. Parameswary (shooting) were also shortlisted for the award.
