KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Defending World Champion and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallist Cheah Liek Hou feels the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games (APG) would be the most challenging in his quest to bring back a gold medal.

The 35-year-old told Bernama that he would need to work extra hard when facing younger opponents who will certainly be equipped with better energy levels when the competition kicks off from October 22 to 28.

"I am the oldest player in the field, not only in the country but the entire games. Nonetheless, I will continue to strive to win a gold medal for the country in Hangzhou,” said Liek Hou who will be making his fourth appearence in the Asian Para Games.

Incidentally, Liek Hou’s first appearence in the APG was also in China, when the games were hosted by Guangzhou in 2010.

Despite feeling the pressure of competition in Hangzhou, Liek Hou who has 12 World titles under his belt feels his experience should pull him through the various stages and onto the podium during the games.

Liek Hou did not participate in the 2023 Asean Para Games in Cambodia to make way for younger shuttlers from the country to shoulder the responsibility of representing the country.

"However experienced you are, big competitions like the APG provide a different kind of challenge. The pressure, feeling and atmosphere are all different compared with competitions like the World Championships. It is a totally different experience and feeling when we are representing the country in multi-sport games,” he said.

In the Hangzhou APG, Liek Hou will be competition in the men’s singles SU5 (physical impairment) and SU5 men’s doubles in the same category, partnering Muhammad Fareez Anuar.

Liek Hou holds a significant record in the APG after having won double gold medals by winning the men’s singles and doubles events in the SU5 category at the 2010 and 2014 editions in Guangzhou and Incheon, South Korea, respectively with his previous partner Suhaili Laiman.

However, during the 2018 APG held in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, Liek Hou could only manage bronze medals in the singles and doubles (with partner Hairol Fozi Saaba) as well as a silver from the men’s team event (SL3-SU5).

The 12 World titles won by Liek Hou comprise seven in the singles (SU5) and five in the men’s doubles (SU5). — Bernama