27-07-2025
Birthday smash for para shuttler Fareez in Cardiff
KUALA LUMPUR: It was an early birthday present for Fareez Anuar, who won the men's doubles title with Cheah Liek Hou, at the British and Irish Para Badminton International in Cardiff on Saturday.
SU5 shuttler Fareez, had a day earlier, stunned two-time Paralympic champion Liek Hou 23-21, 27-25 in the men's singles semi-finals, but lost to Indonesia's Dheva Anrimusthi 21-17, 21-18 in the final.
Fareez later teamed up with Liek Hou to beat Dheva-Hafizh Briliansyah 21-14, 25-23 in the doubles final.
Fareez, who turned 29 today, said: "It was a special birthday gift for me. Thank you so much to the team who have always supported us," Fareez wrote on his Instagram.
Meanwhile, wheelchair player Ikhwan Ramli pulled off a major upset in the WH1 singles final, defeating 2024 Paris Paralympics silver medallist Choi Jung Man of South Korea 21-19, 15-21, 21-15.
However, Ikhwan's bid for a second title in Cardiff was denied in the men's doubles final after he and Noor Azwan Noorlan were beaten by Jung Man-Kim Jung Jun 19-21, 21-11, 21-15.
