KUALA LUMPUR – World number one para-badminton player, Cheah Liek Hou, experienced a whirlwind of emotions after his title wins at the Spanish Para Badminton International in Vitoria-Gasteiz yesterday.
Liek Hou secured victory in both the men’s singles and men’s doubles SU5, alongside Muhammad Fareez Anuar.
However, his joy was overshadowed by disappointment upon discovering that his roller massager, valued at approximately RM1,000, had been stolen.
Speaking to Scoop, Liek Hou said he realised this as he was preparing to compete in the quarter-finals against Wales player David Jack Wilson.
“I noticed that my belongings were missing during the quarter-finals. I posted on Instagram as a reverse psychology tactic hoping the thief would return my belongings, but unfortunately, that did not happen.
“I placed my massage roller in the player warm-up area, near the beds used for physiotherapy sessions. To be more specific, I placed it near the players and Malaysian team officials’ belongings, not just randomly.
“The thief was clever, he knew my massage roller was expensive, so he took mine but left other players’ cheaper rollers. My roller is special because it has a button for automatic vibration,” said Liek Hou.
Despite this unpleasant incident, 36-year-old Liek Hou remained upbeat to end the weekend with double success.
“I feel my performance in this championship is still considered good, but the shuttlecocks used in this tournament are quite fast, causing many players to struggle to adapt.
“For me, it’s an advantage because I can control the speed of the shuttlecock well in every match.
“For example, in the final match, on paper, my opponent Fang Jen-yu was the world number three player, but he struggled to control the shuttlecock speed for the entire match – which resulted in him being unable to perform well.
“I’m happy to overcome it and win this championship,” he added.
Liek Hou is currently in Toledo, Spain, for the Spanish Para Badminton International Level 1, which will begin tomorrow and run until Sunday. – April 22, 2024