Cheah Liek Hou facts
Badminton never fails to unify Malaysians. And it’s athletes like Cheah Liek Hou who make us proud of the racquet sport. He is the first Malaysian to clinch a Paralympic gold in badminton for the nation, earning him the well-earned title of the “king of Malaysian para-badminton” among locals.
Get to know the man who made history with this list of things to know and fun facts about Cheah Liek Hou.
Table of Contents
- Cheah Liek Hou facts
- 1. He had Erb’s Palsy since he was born
- 2. He began playing badminton at 9 years old
- 3. He proves that age is no barrier for badminton
- 4. He trained under a badminton legend
- 5. He majored in corporate communications
- 6. He played for both able-bodied and para badminton teams
- 7. He once held a corporate job
- 8. He is a two-time gold medallist at the Paralympic Games
- 9. He lost 20kg before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
- 10. He was rewarded RM1 million for his gold-medal win
- 11. He once won 33 matches in a row
- 12. His life story has been retold in a Malaysian film
- 13. He enjoys fishing when he’s not on the court
1. He had Erb’s Palsy since he was born
Image credit: @apacs.sports via Instagram
Just two days after he was born on 8th March 1988, Malaysian shuttler Cheah Liek Hou was found to have a torn nerve in his right shoulder. His mum, Jap Joe Tjin, would assist him in physical therapy as he was growing up. It was only at 15 years old that they discovered he had Erb’s Palsy – a condition that causes paralysis of muscles, which affects the stability and strength in his right hand.
Despite not being able to lift his hands high up or utilise both arms at a time, Cheah mentioned in interviews that he has never felt any disappointment or sadness about the condition. He instead focuses on his wins because of it, including ranking World No. 1 in para-badminton for 10 consecutive years.
2. He began playing badminton at 9 years old
Cheah with his mum and wife.
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
KL-born Cheah embarked on his badminton journey at 9 years old. The now 36-year-old started off playing the sport at school and as a hobby, describing himself as a “hyperactive” kid. His mum would be the first to spot his potential, pushing him to get specialised training at the renowned Bukit Jalil Sports School.
3. He proves that age is no barrier for badminton
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
While Cheah had an incredible winning streak in the Para Badminton World Championships, achieving back-to-back wins between 2005 and 2017, he placed third in the tournament in 2019.
In a match of “speed and power” against Indonesia’s Dheva Anrimusthi, then-31-year-old Cheah had friends tell him that he lost due to his age. Dheva was 10 years his junior at the time. Cheah has spoken about how he has accepted this reality, which pushed him to train harder for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and prove that age is not a barrier for badminton.
4. He trained under a badminton legend
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
On his quest for gold at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Cheah trained under a Malaysian badminton legend: Rashid Sidek. Sidek won Malaysia a bronze medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. Sidek has supported Cheah since 2019, training the two-time gold medallist alongside able-bodied athletes to increase his strength.
5. He majored in corporate communications
Cheah joined the National Youth Team at 15 years old, representing Malaysia internationally for the first time in the ASEAN Para Games. He would go on to pursue a degree in corporate communications while competing in tournaments, balancing his pursuits in sports with his formal education.
6. He played for both able-bodied and para badminton teams
Cheah first trained alongside able-bodied athletes, joining the para badminton team only after a national coach noticed his weaker arm. He participated in both sports categories until he turned 20 when it became more difficult for him to compete against able-bodied shuttlers.
7. He once held a corporate job
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
In 2017, para-badminton was announced to make its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic. It was around the same time when he worked as a strategic account manager for a sports firm. Cheah had turned his focus to the full-time role as his form as a shuttler had waned in his eyes.
He later resigned from the job to begin intense training and compete at the Paralympic Games, with the introduction of para-badminton renewing his passion for the racquet sport.
8. He is a two-time gold medallist at the Paralympic Games
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Cheah made history by bringing home Malaysia’s first-ever gold in para-badminton. He soared past Indonesia’s Dheva, with brilliant scores of 21-17, 21-15.
Cheah not only claimed victory but repeated his success at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, defending his title masterfully against Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho, with scores of 21-13, 21-15. This solidified his standing with back-to-back golds in the Men’s Singles SU5 category.
9. He lost 20kg before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
Under the guidance of Nova Armada and Datuk Rashid Sidek, Cheah transformed physically and strategically. This saw him losing a whopping 20kg right before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, following a rigorous training plan that he observed during the various Movement Control Orders in Malaysia.
10. He was rewarded RM1 million for his gold-medal win
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
Following his Tokyo 2020 Paralympics win, Cheah is a recipient of the World Youth Achievement Record, receiving RM1 million through the National Sports Incentive Scheme (Shakam) plus a lifelong monthly allowance of RM5,000 from the Skim Insentif Sukan Olimpik (SITO).
11. He once won 33 matches in a row
An eight-time world champion, Cheah has dominated the scene with multiple victories at the Asian Para Games and ASEAN Para Games. A remarkable season in 2024 saw him unbeaten in all 33 matches he competed in that year.
12. His life story has been retold in a Malaysian film
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
Cheah’s inspiring life story has been depicted in the Malaysian film Gold, directed by Adrian Teh. The film chronicles his rise from local streets to global arenas, showing the athlete’s firm motivation and push through adversities to succeed.
13. He enjoys fishing when he’s not on the court
Image credit: @cheahliekhou4956 via Instagram
Badminton may be Cheah’s calling, but the Malaysian shuttler has several hobbies that he enjoys and shares about with his social media followers. Besides taking up biking when he’s not on the court, he enjoys fishing too – he has posted several photos about his impressive catches during stress-relieving fishing trips.
Things to know and facts about Cheah Liek Hou
National athletes like Cheah Liek Hou prove that Malaysia has no shortage of sporting talent. With his eyes set on the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, we look forward to cheering him on.
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Cover image adapted from: @cheahliekhou4956, @apacs.sports via Instagram