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World men’s doubles champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik on how it all began and their arduous journey to badminton redemption

- Lainey Loh.

It’s August 28, 2022. Malaysians near and far are on the edge of their seats, eyes fixed on the thrilling 2022 BWF World Championships tournament that’s being aired live from the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. On the court were Malaysian shuttlers Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, fresh from their failure to secure a gold at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. As they approached the 40-minute mark, tension brewed. Taking their battle-ready positions—Soh the playmaker at the front court and Chia set to attack from the back—you could see the laser-focused determination in their eyes.

Then, it happened. Loud, resounding cheers echoed across the gymnasium as Chia and Soh sank to their knees the moment reigning world champions Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan of Indonesia failed to return a drop shot by Chia, wrapping up the second set of the men’s doubles final match 21 14. They had ended the Indonesian pair’s run of 19 tournament wins and brought glory to Malaysia. There was plenty to celebrate.

It was the perfect Merdeka Day gift: Chia and Soh made history as the first-ever Malaysian badminton players to be crowned world champions, finally bringing home a world championships title for the first time in the event’s 45-year history. The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics bronze medallists were also the first Malaysian pair to reach the final in 12 years, since Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong in the 2010 BWF World Championships in Paris.

THE FAMILY FACTOR