ASN 2024: Aaron-Wooi Yik crowned National Sportsman, Nor Farah creates history
Bonnie (fourth right) poses with Minister for Welfare, Community Wellbeing and Family Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah (fifth right), Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu (fourth left) and other senior Sarawak officials and sports leaders after the ceremony yesterday. – Bernama photo
PETALING JAYA (May 13): 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, yesterday.
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 currently participating in the 2025 Thailand Open.
Meanwhile, 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, who is from Sarawak, 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).
The 2024 para lawn bowls World Championship champion, Hasmunirah Maliki, won the National Paralympic Athlete title after defeating four other candidates, namely two para-cycling representatives Nur Azlia Syafinaz Mohd Zais and Nur Suraiya Muhamad Zamri, Noor Askuzaimey Mat Salim (boccia) and Noor Imanina Idris (para-athletics).
The national men's sepak takraw team emerged as the winner of the National Men's Team Award after achieving double success in the doubles and regu competition at the 2024 Sepak Takraw World Cup.
The women's bowling squad won the National Women's Team Award by taking home three gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the 2024 Asian Tenpin Bowling Championship.
The council also recognised the role and contribution of the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka, Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam in martial arts sports while previously leading the Malaysian Karate Federation (MAKAF) and the Malaysia National Silat Federation (PESAKA).
The prestigious award, which was first introduced in 1966, is the government's highest recognition to appreciate the excellence achieved throughout the year by athletes, coaches, officials and national sports associations. – Bernama
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