ASN 2024: Aaron-Wooi Yik Crowned National Sportsman, Nor Farah Creates History
SPORTS
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin (second, left) and Hasmunirah Maliki (second, right)
PETALING JAYA, May 13 (Bernama) -- National badminton men's doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik won the Sportsman of the Year award at the 2024 National Sports Awards (ASN) ceremony here, today.
The title, the second time won by the 2022 world champions, saw them fend off challenges from professional men's singles player Lee Zii Jia, national weightlifter Mohamad Aniq Kasdan, wushu athlete Wong Weng Soon and pencak silat exponent Abdul Latif Maxzakir.
Last year, the world number five pair defended their Olympic bronze medal for the second consecutive time by defeating Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark, 16-21, 22-20, 21-19, at the Paris Olympics.
National lawn bowl champion Nor Farah Ain Abdullah was named the National Sportswoman, beating Sin Li Jane (tenpin bowling), Tan Cheong Min (wushu), Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (cycling) and Nor Farah Mazlan (pencak silat).
The world number one lawn bowler made history by becoming the first female lawn bowling athlete of the country to win the National Sportswoman title.
Nor Farah stole the limelight by winning a gold medal in the women's individual event at the 2024 World Indoor Bowls Championships in Guernsey, Channel Islands, in April last year.
His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia presented the National Sportsman and Sportswoman awards respectively to Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik represented by Badminton Association of Malaysia secretary-general, Datuk Kenny Goh and Nor Farah.
Aaron-Wooi Yik were not present at the 2024 ASN as they are participating in the 2025 Thailand Open which began today until Sunday.
The achievement of defending the gold medal in the men's 72 kilogramme category at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris qualified national powerlifting champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin to win the National Paralympic Athlete for the third time after 2021 and 2023, defeating three para-athletics contenders, namely Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli, Datuk Abdul Latif Romly,and Eddy Bernard (para-athletes) as well as Cheah Liek Hou (para-badminton).
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