Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Aaron Chia is ready to reunite with long-time partner Soh Wooi Yik and begin another push for the one major prize still missing from their badminton careers — an Olympic gold medal.
After several months in which Malaysia experimented with different men’s doubles combinations, Aaron confirmed that he and Soh are expected to return to their established partnership once the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are completed.
The pair will then turn their attention toward rebuilding momentum ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification period, which is scheduled to begin in May next year.
Aaron Chia Confirms Return to Soh Wooi Yik Partnership
Aaron said the Badminton Association of Malaysia has already made its direction clear.
Once the Asian Games are over, Malaysia’s senior men’s doubles players are expected to return to their original combinations and begin preparing for the next Olympic cycle.
“I think it is already clear from BAM. Once the Asian Games are finished, we will return to our original partnerships. We will follow the coaches’ plan and focus on what we need to do,” Aaron said.
For Aaron and Soh, that means resuming a partnership that has already delivered some of the biggest achievements in Malaysian badminton history.
Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Gold Remains the Main Target
Aaron made clear that the expectations surrounding the pair remain high.
As two of the most senior players within BAM’s doubles setup, they are expected to carry significant responsibility when the Olympic qualification campaign begins.
“There is always a KPI for us because we are among the most senior players in BAM. We also set our own targets because once Olympic qualification begins next year, we will give everything we have.”
The objective is obvious.
Aaron and Soh have already won Olympic bronze medals twice, but Los Angeles 2028 could represent their final opportunity to turn years of major-tournament success into an Olympic gold medal.
Malaysia’s Men’s Doubles Experiment Nears Its End
Malaysia began experimenting with different men’s doubles combinations in June as the coaching staff searched for the strongest possible partnerships.
Aaron and Soh were among the established pairs temporarily separated during the trial period.
The experiment gave both players opportunities to compete with different teammates and allowed coaches to evaluate new combinations under tournament conditions.
However, their reunion at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi produced an immediate result.
Aaron and Soh reached the final and finished as world championship runners-up, once again demonstrating that their long-standing partnership remains competitive at the highest level of international badminton.
World Championships Silver Strengthened the Case for Reunion
The New Delhi performance played an important role in the discussion surrounding their future.
Despite spending several tournaments apart, Aaron and Soh quickly rediscovered their understanding as a pair and advanced all the way to the championship match.
The result strengthened the case for restoring them as a permanent combination for the next Olympic campaign.
BAM has now decided that the pair will reunite following the Asian Games and continue together toward Los Angeles 2028.
Aaron Chia Has No Concerns About Reuniting With Soh Wooi Yik
Aaron said returning to Soh will not require a major adjustment because of the years they have already spent competing together.
“For me, there is no problem pairing with Wooi Yik again because we have been together for a long time. We know each other’s game.”
That familiarity has always been one of the strengths of the Malaysian combination.
They understand each other’s movement, attacking patterns and defensive responsibilities, something that can take newly formed doubles partnerships years to develop.
Aaron hopes the pair can quickly return their full attention to their partnership once the Asian Games conclude.
Aaron Chia Will Partner Tee Kai Wun at Asian Games
Before the reunion becomes permanent again, Aaron has one final major assignment with a different partner.
He will compete alongside Tee Kai Wun at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which begins this weekend.
The combination forms part of Malaysia’s recent experimentation and will be tested against some of Asia’s strongest men’s doubles pairs.
Aaron said he remains focused on the immediate task before returning to Soh afterward.
Aaron Sees Benefits From Malaysia’s Partnership Experiment
Although Aaron and Soh will return to their original combination, Aaron does not consider the reshuffle a wasted exercise.
He believes changing partners gave players fresh motivation and exposed them to different playing styles.
Competing with another teammate also required players to adapt tactically rather than relying entirely on habits built over years with the same partner.
Those experiences could ultimately make the players more complete when they return to their established combinations.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Already Own Major Badminton Medals
Aaron and Soh will begin their LA28 campaign with one of the strongest major-championship records in Malaysian badminton.
They won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and repeated the achievement at Paris 2024.
In 2022, they created history by becoming Malaysia’s first senior badminton world champions.
They added another major medal in 2026 by finishing runners-up at the World Championships in New Delhi.
- Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Bronze medal
- 2022 BWF World Championships: Gold medal
- 2023 BWF World Championships: Bronze medal
- Paris 2024 Olympics: Bronze medal
- 2026 BWF World Championships: Silver medal
That record establishes Aaron and Soh as one of Malaysia’s most accomplished men’s doubles partnerships, but Olympic gold remains the achievement they still want most.
European World Tour Events Next After Asian Games
Once the Asian Games are completed, Aaron and Soh are expected to resume training together before returning to the BWF World Tour.
Their planned European campaign includes the Denmark Open, French Open and Hylo Open.
Those tournaments will provide important competitive preparation before Olympic qualification begins next year.
The immediate goal will be rebuilding rhythm as a permanent partnership after months of experimentation.
Aaron-Soh Turn Their Focus Toward One Final Olympic Push
The uncertainty surrounding Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik’s partnership now appears to be over.
Malaysia tested several different combinations, Aaron and Soh proved their partnership still works by reaching another World Championships final, and BAM has now set the direction for the next Olympic cycle.
After the Asian Games, the pair will reunite fully and begin preparing for Los Angeles 2028.
They already have world championship gold and two Olympic bronze medals. The next mission is clear: give everything they have for one more chance at Olympic gold.
