The 6th Fazza Para Badminton International – Dubai 2025 concluded with Asian nations dominating the world ranking event amid loud cheers and strong team support at the Shabab Al Ahli Club.
Overall, South Korea finished on top of the podium with six gold medals while Malaysia claimed three gold medals followed by Turkiye, India, England and Indonesia also shone with a gold medal each.
Fazza Championships Chairman Thani Juma Berregad was amazed to see the intensity of the matches and the world class performances delivered by the top shuttlers at the Shabab Al Ahli Club. He also praised the UAE team’s effort at the championships whose campaign ended in the quarter-finals.
“Our players’ effort and training were evident in the matches. They have tried to match the level of the game of the Paralympic champions here. I’m very delighted to witness their development and performance like these have will boost their confidence. Definitely, the championship was a big learning experience for the team.”
Korea’s promising shuttlers Sooyoung Yu and Gyeoul Jung claimed two gold medals each winning the men’s and women’s Wheelchair (WH2) finals. Meanwhile, Shin Kyung Hwan clinched the other two gold medals for Korea in Standing events – he clinched the men’s singles Standing SL4 and men’s doubles SL3-SL4 gold, pairing with Joo Dongjae.
Sooyoung rallied from a game down to surprise Paris 2024 bronze medallist and senior compatriot Kim Jung Jun 19-21, 25-23, 22-20 in a thrilling men’s singles WH2 match that lasted 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, he paired with Park Haeseong to beat legendary players Jung Jun and Choi Jungman in straight games 21-16, 21-13.
In the women’s events, unseeded Gyeoul got the better of top seed and veteran player Emine Seckin from Turkiye 21-18, 21-11 for the women’s WH2 title. Later, Gyeoul and Haeseong defeated Turkish and Italian duo of Seckin and Yuri Ferrigno 21-16, 21-13.
Two gold for Malaysian top seed
Among other top names, world number one and double Paralympic champion Cheah Liek Hou clinched two gold medals for Malaysia winning the men’s singles and men’s doubles Standing Upper – SU5 events.
While Cheah defeated compatriot Muhammed Fareez Anuar in straight games 21-12, 22-20 in the singles event, both the players paired up to win the doubles crown against India’s promising duo of Hardik Makkar and Ruthick Ragupathi 21-18, 21-15.
Malaysia took on more gold when Muhammed Ikhwan Ramli staged a remarkable comeback to win the men’s wheelchair WH1 final over Korean Paralympic silver medallist Choi Jungman 13-21, 21-18, 21-6.
Hong Kong’s Asian Para Games winner Chu Man Kai had to settle for two silvers after battling against Brazilian Vitor Tavares with a sprained ankle 24-22, 14-21, 17-21 the men’s singles SH6 final.
He and his partner Chun Wim Yong later had to withdraw from his men’s doubles SH6 final against Indian pair of Sivarajan Solaimalai and Sudarsan Saravanakumar Muthusamy who claimed the only gold medal for India at the championships.
