The Malaysian doubles pair did what no one, not even Lee Chong Wei, could do
Malaysian badminton doubles pair Aaron Chia Teng Fong and Soh Wooi Yik had done the impossible, beating three-time world champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia at the BWF World Championships in Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on August 28, 2022.
The nail-biting match that ended with a 21-19, 21-14 victory gave Malaysia's first ever badminton world title, giving Malaysia the perfect Merdeka Day gift.
Previously, Aaron-Wooi Yik had gone as far as the quarterfinals in the 2018 edition in China. This is a historic win as not even the great Lee Chong Wei had emerged victorious at BWF—he lost to China three times (2011, 2013, 2015) to clinch the silver.
See also: Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik Win Bronze at Tokyo Olympics 2020
The last time Aaron-Wooi Yik, both Tatler's Asia's Most Influential honourees in 2021, created a great deal of buzz was when they secured bronze at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The world No.6 won their first gold medal at SEA Games 2019.
According to a report in The Sun daily, Chia told Badminton World Federation: "I have no words to describe what we’re feeling. Of course, we are so happy to make ourselves proud, to make our country proud, as the first Malaysian world champions. Last year, we won the bronze at the Olympics in Tokyo. This year, we got the gold medal in Tokyo. So, I think Tokyo is lucky for us.”
See also: Lee Zii Jia to Go Pro, Quits BAM
Watch the video for a replay of the historic victory for our Malaysian pair.