KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s top men’s doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik were crowned Malaysia’s National Sportsman of the Year at the 2024 National Sports Awards (ASN), solidifying their status as icons of Malaysian badminton on the global stage.
This marks the second time the 2022 world champions have received the prestigious honor. They edged out other elite athletes including Lee Zii Jia (badminton), Mohamad Aniq Kasdan (weightlifting), Wong Weng Soon (wushu), and Abdul Latif Maxzakir (pencak silat).
The recognition came on the back of their stunning performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they defended their men’s doubles bronze medal with a gutsy 3-set victory over Denmark’s Astrup/Rasmussen — a testament to their consistency and resilience at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Nor Farah Ain Abdullah made history by becoming the first Malaysian female lawn bowler to be named National Sportswoman of the Year, following her gold medal win at the 2024 World Indoor Bowls Championships in Guernsey.
Although Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik could not attend the ceremony due to their participation at the 2025 Thailand Open, the award was received on their behalf by BAM Secretary-General Datuk Kenny Goh and presented by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
Other major award winners included:
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin (Powerlifting) – National Paralympic Male Athlete
Hasmunirah Maliki (Para Lawn Bowls) – National Paralympic Female Athlete
Malaysia Men’s Sepak Takraw Team – National Men’s Team
Malaysia Women’s Tenpin Bowling Team – National Women’s Team
The 2024 ASN ceremony also celebrated leadership and lifetime contributions, with accolades given to the Governor of Melaka, Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, and Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria of BAM.
The National Sports Awards, first introduced in 1966, remains Malaysia’s highest sporting honor — recognizing exceptional achievements by athletes, coaches, and organizations in the pursuit of national sporting excellence.
