South Korea finish on top at Dubai Para Badminton event
The 6th Fazza Para Badminton International – Dubai 2025 concluded with South Korea finishing on top of the podium with six gold medals amid loud cheers and strong team support at the Shabab Al Ahli Club on Sunday.
Promising shuttlers Sooyoung Yu and Gyeoul Jung claimed two gold medals each winning the men's and women's Wheelchair (WH2) finals.
The highlight of the final day was Sooyoung's upset win over Paris 2024 bronze medallist and senior compatriot Kim Jung Jun in a nerve wrecking men's singles WH2 match that lasted 60 minutes.
Sooyoung rallied from a game down to win 19-21, 25-23, 22-20 over his senior compatriot Jung Jun, much to the praise from the senior player.
'It was a great match — we knew each other very well and we tried to play like we do in the practice matches. Kim played better than practice today — I feel that legend is still alive,' said Sooyoung who won the first singles gold medal at the Fazza Dubai Championships in his third appearance.
Meanwhile, he paired with Park Haeseong to beat legendary players Jung Jun and Choi Jungman 21-16, 21-13.
In the women's events, unseeded Gyeoul shocked top seed and veteran player Emine Seckin from Turkiye in straight games 21-18, 21-11 for the women's WH2 title.
Later, Gyeoul and Haeseong got the better of Turkish and Italian duo of Seckin and Yuri Ferrigno 21-16, 21-13.
Two gold for Malaysian top seed: Among other top names, world number 1 Cheah Liek Hou clinched two gold medals for Malaysia winning the men's singles and men's doubles Standing Upper - SU5 events.
While Cheah defeated compatriot Muhammed Fareez Anuar in straight games 21-12, 22-20 in the singles event, both the players paired up to win the doubles crown against India's promising duo of Hardik Makkar and Ruthick Ragupathi 21-18, 21-15.
Playing her usual come-from-behind-winning game, Ukrainian Oksana Kozyna overcame France's Milena Surreau, who was playing her first match in the category, 24-22, 17-21, 21-10 in the women's singles Standing Lower – SL3 final.
Malaysia took on more gold when Muhammed Ikhwan Ramli staged a remarkable comeback to win the men's wheelchair WH1 final over Korean Paralympic silver medallist Choi Jungman 13-21, 21-18, 21-6.
Turkiye, India and England were the other nations who took a gold medal each at the sixth edition of the championships which was competed by around 150 players from 30 nations.
Thani Juma Berregad, Fazza Championships Chairman, expressed his immense pride and admiration for the remarkable level of competition at the Fazza Championships.
He was deeply impressed by the intensity, energy, and world-class performances displayed by the athletes who have gathered in Dubai for this elite event.
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