HANGZHOU: World champion Cheah Liek Hou’s quest to win the men’s singles gold medal at the 2022 Asian Para Games (APG) badminton competition in Hangzhou, started on a positive note when he disposed his opponent in straight games.
The multiple world title holder who competes in the SU5 (physical impairment) men’s singles and placed in Group A, beat Shi Sheng Zhuo from the host country, 21-10, 21-7 in straight sets at the Binjiang Gymnasium, here today.
Liek Hou who is gunning for his second APG gold medal, will face Antonio de la Cruz Junior from the Philippines in his final group match.
“Today I was still looking to find my rhytm and hope I can produce a better performance after this. I do not want to concentrate too much on winning and add unnecessary pressure,” he told Bernama.
Another Malaysian shuttler Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli who competed in the men’s WH1 (physical impairment), category defeated South Korea’s Lee Samseop, 21-15, 21-16 in a Group B match.
Muhammad Ikhwan will next face Qi Zi Mo from China on Monday.
Meanwhile, another representative from Malaysia, Mohamad Faris Ahmad Azri who was drawn in Group H of the same category, lost to Japan’s sixth ranked player Taiyo Imai 14-21, 8-21.
Mohamad Faris will face Thailand’s Pricha Somsiri in his final group match. -Bernama