Cheah Liek Hou

A two-time Paralympic gold medallist and a 14-time World champion at both SU5 singles and doubles events, Cheah Liek Hou won the gold medal in the men’s singles SU5 event at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics, making him the first Malaysian athlete to win a medal in para-badminton. He is the first-ever Paralympic champion in para-badminton.

The KL-born athlete was born with Erb’s palsy, causing his right hand to have a lack of strength and stability. However, that did not stop him from taking up badminton when he was nine years old. During his early years, Cheah played in yards and on the streets, chasing shuttles carried by the occasional breeze, which could have contributed to his highly changeable, fluid play style today. His mother, Joe Tjin, noticed his son’s talent in the sport; and with her encouragement, Cheah joined the Bukit Jalil Sports School to train.

Cheah was initially a part of the National Youth Team, which he joined at the age of 15. In 2003, he was invited to compete in a para-badminton tournament. At the time, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) wanted to train para-badminton players and Cheah seemed the perfect fit. He won both the singles and doubles events at the 2005 Para-Badminton World Championships and has since been unstoppable.