25/09/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | SEPT 25, 2025

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Liek Hou open to reconciliation … after reward dispute with PCM

RESULTS & STANDINGS

BRIEFS Soon Huat-Shevon take lead TWO national mixed doubles pairs advanced to round of 16 at the Korea Open 2025 while one pair bowed out in the opening round at Suwon Gymnasium, yesterday. Fifth seeds Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie led the national charge with a convincing 21-9, 22-20 victory over Indonesia’s Adnan Maulana-Indah Cahya Sari Jamil in just 33 minutes. The Malaysian pair will next take on China’s Gao Jia Xuan-Wu Meng Ying in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien also booked their spot into the last 16 after outplaying Taiwan’s Liu Kuang Heng-Jheng Yu Chieh 21-13, 22-20 and will challenge Korean pair, Lee Jong Min-Chae Yu Jung for a quarterfinal slot. However, it was the end of the road for Hoo Pang Roon-Cheng Su Yin who put up a gritty fight before going down 23 21, 17-21, 19-21 to Thailand’s Ruttanapak Oupthong-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat. ‘Focus and consistency’ JOHOR DARUL TA’ZIM (JDT) are fully aware of the challenge as they face Bangkok United today in the Asean Club Championship at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, stressing the need for focus and consistency. JDT head coach Xisco Munoz said that although his team’s morale was boosted by the recent 8-0 victory over Sabah in the Super League, the upcoming clash will be a completely different test. “When we face different situations, we need to learn quickly. It’s all part of the process, the most important thing is how we continue to grow and become more solid in terms of consistency,” Munoz told a pre-match press conference yesterday. ITALIAN CUP (2ND ROUND) : Cagliari 4 (Gaetano 2-pen, Borrelli 67, Felici 80, Cavuoti 85) Frosinone 1 (Vergani 36) , Udinese 2 (Zaniolo 41, Miller 45) Palermo 1 (Peda 90+3) , AC Milan 3 (Gimenez 20, Nkunku 51, Pulisic 64) Lecce 0. CARABAO CUP (3RD ROUND) : Barns ley 0 Brighton 6, Burnley 1 Cardiff City 2, Fulham 1 Cambridge United 0, Lincoln City 1 Chelsea 2, Wigan Athletic 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2, Wolves 2 Everton 2, Wrexham 2 Read ing 0, Liverpool 2 Southampton 1. Spanish La Liga: Athletic Bilbao 1 (Jauregizar 48) Girona 1 (Ounahi 9) , Espanyol 2 (Cabrera 59, Puado 90+6) Valencia 2 (Danjuma 15, Duro 62) , Levante 1 (Eyong 54) Real Madrid 4 (Vinicius 28, Mastantuono 38, Mbappe 64-pen, 66) , Sevilla 1 (Sow 51) Villar real 2 (Oluwaseyi 17, Solomon 86) . 6 3 2 1 10 9 11 Athletic Bilbao 6 3 1 2 7 7 10 Elche 5 2 3 0 7 4 9 Real Betis 6 2 3 1 9 7 9 Getafe 5 3 0 2 6 7 9 Valencia 6 2 2 2 8 10 8 Sevilla 6 2 1 3 10 10 7 Alaves 5 2 1 2 5 5 7 A. Madrid 5 1 3 1 6 5 6 Osasuna 5 2 0 3 4 4 6 Rayo Vallecano 5 1 2 2 5 6 5 Celta Vigo 6 0 5 1 5 7 5 Levante 6 1 1 4 10 13 4 Real Oviedo 5 1 0 4 1 8 3 Real Sociedad 5 0 2 3 5 9 2 Mallorca 5 0 2 3 5 10 2 Girona 6 0 2 4 3 16 2 P W D L F A Pts 6 6 0 0 14 3 18 5 4 1 0 16 3 13 Real Madrid Barcelona Villarreal Espanyol 6 4 1 1 12 5 13

N ATIONAL para badminton ace Cheah Liek Hou has expressed his willingness to reconcile with the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) over the 2024 Paris Paralympics reward issue. Liek Hou said he was open to meeting with PCM to mend ties and ease tensions which had somewhat affected his mental state recently. “Why not? I’m open to discuss with them … if they (PCM) want, I can always welcome them,” he told a press conference yesterday. However, the two-time Paralympic men’s singles SU5 (physical impairment) gold medallist admitted that PCM has yet to reach out to him for clarification regarding the controversy sparked by

his recent social media post. The 38-year-old had claimed that PCM failed to deliver the promised RM60,000 cash incentive after his Paris 2024 gold medal win, voicing his frustration through social media. According to media reports, PCM president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin had last year announced that gold medallists at the prestigious Games would each receive RM60,000 in cash, contributed by three external companies to boost the athletes’ motivation. The delay in payment, however, led to a public dispute, with PCM last Thursday considering legal action and suspension against the shuttler.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, however, confirmed on Sunday that no suspension was imposed, saying Liek Hou’s demand was not a disciplinary breach but rather related to an unsettled sponsorship commitment. Liek Hou said he now considers the issue resolved after receiving the outstanding RM35,000 yesterday from retail chain 99 Speed Mart Sdn Bhd, having earlier received RM25,000 from PCM. “I think this issue is settled. I’ve received the full RM60,000 … so now, what I want to do is focus on training for upcoming tournaments and try to win more titles for the country,” he said. – Bernama

Hakim Danish to make Moto3 debut in Sepang

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MALAYSIA’S young rider Muhammad Hakim Danish Ramli yesterday received the exciting news that he will be making his Moto3 debut through a wildcard at the 2025 Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (GP) at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), Sepang, from Oct 24-26. SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif said the historic milestone in Hakim Danish’s career represented the very best of the country’s motorsports development blueprint, having risen from the grassroots all the way to the world stage. “Danish has truly earned this

through a clear development pathway, from grassroots level to global competition. “His success stands as both a symbol of hope that he may one day become Malaysia’s first world champion and a source of inspiration for future generations of riders,” it said. Beginning with SIC MiniGP Championship, the Terengganu-born rider progressed through the Asia Talent Cup, European Talent Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup (RBRC) and FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) JuniorGP World Championship, consistently excelling and delivering results that highlight his world-class potential. Hakim Danish recently became the first Malaysian rider to secure a top-three overall finish in his RBRC campaign in the 2025 edition.

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wildcard. This is going to be more than just a race. He is, without a doubt, one of the best Malaysian talents of his generation. “I urged every motorsport fan to fill the grandstands to cheer for our future champion at the MotoGP Malaysia,” he said in a statement yesterday. In the meantime, SIC said the 18-year-old’s journey reflected the Youth and Sports Ministry and

RM4,150,715.48

He had previously finished 12th during his debut season in 2023, before improving to sixth place last year. Tickets for the 2025 Malaysian Motorcycle GP are selling fast at

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www.sepangcircuit.com, with SIC continuing its “Tiket Rahmah”initiative in support of the Malaysia Madani agenda, offering K2 Hillstand tickets at only RM49.90. – Bernama

RM727,350.11

Hakim Danish. – ZK Racing

SIC’s collaborative effort to build champions

Vincent conquers Ironman in France, eyes three more in 80 days

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of KL Wellness City, Datuk Seri Dr Vincent Tiew, has achieved a historic milestone by completing the Ironman World Championship in Nice, France, one of the toughest Ironman courses in the world. Master developer KL Wellness City Sdn Bhd, in a statement, said that building on this achievement, Tiew is now preparing to take on an unprecedented challenge – competing in three more full Ironman races within the next 80 days, namely Ironman Barcelona (Spain), Ironman Florida (USA) and Ironman Busselton (Western Australia). “The Ironman World Championship was not only a dream come true and a milestone 14th race for him, but a feat made more remarkable as he competed while still recovering from a June injury. “Despite this setback, he demonstrated resilience, and mental strength to complete one of the toughest endurance challenges in the world,” the statement read. It said out of eight Malaysians who qualified and represented the country in Nice, an impressive seven crossed the finish line, including Tiew and former Youth and Sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. “Completing such a challenging race, especially alongside fellow Malaysians, was a

moment of immense pride and a testament to their collective determination,” it said. The Ironman World Championship in Nice challenged athletes with a 3.8km swim in the unpredictable Mediterranean, followed by a gruelling 180km cycling route through the French Alps, a distance almost equivalent to cycling from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh but featuring repeated climbs and descents comparable to ascending and descending Genting Highlands. The final leg, a 42.2km marathon under the Mediterranean sun, pushed participants to their absolute limits, leading many seasoned triathletes to consider Nice among the most unforgiving World Championship routes for its demands on both physical endurance and mental resilience. Meanwhile, Vincent, in the same statement, said that conquering the Ironman World Championship in Nice was more than a personal triumph, as it proved that Malaysians can excel even on the world’s toughest stage. “The climbs in the Alps and the intensity of the course tested every ounce of strength, but crossing the line alongside Syed Saddiq and our fellow athletes made the moment unforgettable.” – Bernama

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