CHEAH Soniia

General
TURNING PRO
In February 2021 she decided to turn professional after being dropped by the Badminton Association of Malaysia [BAM]. "I still want to play and I'm looking forward to my new journey. I'm pursuing my dream as I hope to play at the Olympics for my country." In May 2021 she was invited back to train with BAM to prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, while remaining a professional player. (badmintonplanet.com, 10 May 2021; thestar.com.my, 01 Mar 2021; ligaolahraga.com, 01 Mar 2021, 10 Feb 2021; malaymail.com, 07 Feb 2021; Instagram profile, 27 Feb 2021, 07 Feb 2021)

RETIREMENT THOUGHTS
She says she considered retiring from the sport in 2017 due to recurring pain from an Achilles tendon injury she sustained in 2013. Her mother convinced her to continue playing with a view to competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I had lost the interest to train. I was dragging my feet and could not focus during training. I didn't even want to wake up in the morning and I just didn't want to touch the racket. I was miserable. I began to question my purpose in the national team and was prepared to throw in the towel. My family knows my sacrifices. I recovered from injury to become the top ranked player but I didn't feel valued. I was distracted by comments made by fans that I was not good enough. My mother told me to believe in myself. I've also been struggling to find a balance between studies and sport. She told me to focus on one and I chose badminton. Ultimately, I want to end my career by qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Then, I can hang up the racket for good." (thestar.com.my, 30 Dec 2017, 25 Jul 2013)