Cheah Soon Kit
谢勋寁
Personal information
CountryMalaysia
Born (1968-01-09) 9 January 1968 (age 55)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb)
Years active1986–2000
HandednessRight
Men's doubles
Highest ranking1 (1992)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Malaysia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta Men's doubles
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1993 Birmingham Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1997 Glasgow Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Lausanne Men's doubles
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1992 Guangzhou Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1994 Ho Chi Minh Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Jakarta Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1993 New Delhi Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Jakarta Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Jakarta Men's doubles
Thomas Cup
Gold medal – first place 1992 Kuala Lumpur Team
Silver medal – second place 1988 Kuala Lumpur Team
Silver medal – second place 1990 Tokyo Team
Silver medal – second place 1994 Jakarta Team
Silver medal – second place 1998 Hong Kong Team
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Jakarta Team
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Victoria Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1998 Kuala Lumpur Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1990 Auckland Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1994 Victoria Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1998 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 1990 Beijing Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1994 Hiroshima Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Hiroshima Men's team
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 1995 Beijing Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Shanghai Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Hong Kong Men's team
Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 1991 Jakarta Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1994 Beijing Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1995 Qingdao Men's doubles
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1989 Kuala Lumpur Men's team
Gold medal – first place 1991 Manila Men's team
Gold medal – first place 1993 Singapore Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1995 Chiang Mai Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1987 Jakarta Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1993 Singapore Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1995 Chiang Mai Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1997 Jakarta Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Kuala Lumpur Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Manila Men's doubles
Cheah Soon Kit
Traditional Chinese謝順吉
Simplified Chinese谢顺吉

Datuk Cheah Soon Kit (Current name: Chinese: 謝勛寁; Jyutping: Ze6 Fan1 Zaam2; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiā Hun-chám / Birth name: Chinese: 謝順吉; Jyutping: Ze6 Seon6 Gat1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiā Sūn-kiat) PMW KMN BSD (born 9 January 1968) is a former Malaysian badminton player and coach.[1]

Career

Known for his amazing jumping smashes, Soon Kit was one of the top doubles stars in the world in his heyday. He won the Olympic silver with Yap Kim Hock in Atlanta 1996.[2] Before combining with Kim Hock, Soon Kit’s partner was Soo Beng Kiang and they won numerous international titles, including the 1992 and 1994 World Cup.[3] He was also a vital member of the Malaysian squad that won the Thomas Cup for the first time in 25 years, in a 3-2 victory over Indonesia at the Stadium Negara in 1992.[4]

Coaching

Soon Kit was the national women’s doubles coach from 2001 to 2007.[5] He groomed Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui into the country’s top pair. Pei Tty-Eei Hui bagged the SEA Games gold in Manila in 2005 to end a 30-year title drought. They also won the gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.[6] After becoming the head coach for several minor badminton clubs, Soon Kit rejoined the national set-up in 2016 before heading the men’s doubles department in 2017 and was instrumental in grooming the current Malaysia No.1 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik. He left the national setup at the end of 2018.[7]

Achievements

Olympic Games

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1996 GSU Sports Arena, Atlanta, United States Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		15–5, 13–15, 12–15
Silver medal.svg
Silver

World Championships

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1993 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rudy Gunawan
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		11–15, 3–15
Silver
Silver
1995 Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		8–15, 6–15
Bronze
Bronze
1997 Scotstoun Centre, Glasgow, Scotland Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Sigit Budiarto
Indonesia Candra Wijaya 		15–8, 17–18, 7–15
Silver
Silver

World Cup

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1990 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Eddy Hartono
Indonesia Rudy Gunawan 		13–18, 13–18
Bronze
Bronze
1992 Guangdong Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		15–10, 15–11
Gold
Gold
1993 Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi, India Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		9–15, 11–15
Bronze
Bronze
1994 Phan Dinh Phung Indoor Stadium,

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rudy Gunawan
Indonesia Bambang Suprianto 		18–13, 2–15, 17–16
Gold
Gold
1995 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		13–18, 9–15
Bronze
Bronze
1996 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Denny Kantono
Indonesia Antonius Ariantho 		11–15, 15–3, 13–15
Bronze
Bronze

Asian Games

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1994 Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		10–15, 2–15
Silver
Silver

Asian Championships

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1991 Cheras Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang South Korea Park Joo-bong
South Korea Kim Moon-soo 		7–15, 7–15
Bronze
Bronze
1995 Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Beijing, China Malaysia Yap Kim Hock China Huang Zhanzhong
China Jiang Xin 		7–15, 15–8, 15–7
Gold
Gold
1999 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia Yap Kim Hock China Zhang Jun
China Zhang Wei 		16–17, 8–15
Bronze
Bronze

Asian Cup

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1991 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		17–16, 15–5
Gold
Gold
1994 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		8–15, 7–15
Silver
Silver
1995 Xinxing Gymnasium, Qingdao, China Malaysia Yap Kim Hock China Huang Zhanzhong
China Jiang Xin 		10–15, 11–15
Silver
Silver

Southeast Asian Games

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1991 Camp Crame Gymnasium, Manila, Philippines Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Eddy Hartono
Indonesia Rudy Gunawan 		7–15, 3–15
Bronze
Bronze
1993 Singapore Badminton Hall, Singapore Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		15–7, 11–15, 15–7
Gold
Gold
1995 Gymnasium 3, 700th Anniversary Sport Complex,
Chiang Mai, Thailand 		Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		15–13, 15–9
Gold
Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1989 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia Tan Sui Hoon Indonesia Aryono Miranat
Indonesia Minarti Timur 		14–18, 1–15
Bronze
Bronze

Commonwealth Games

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1990 Auckland Badminton Hall, Auckland, New Zealand Malaysia Rashid Sidek Malaysia Razif Sidek
Malaysia Jalani Sidek 		8–15, 8–15
Silver
Silver
1994 McKinnon Gym, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang England Simon Archer
England Chris Hunt 		15–10, 15–9
Gold
Gold
1998 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Malaysia Choong Tan Fook
Malaysia Lee Wan Wah 		7–15, 4–15
Silver
Silver

IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1990 World Grand Prix Finals Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rudy Gunawan
Indonesia Eddy Hartono 		6–15, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1991 Chinese Taipei Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Malaysia Jalani Sidek
Malaysia Razif Sidek 		7–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1991 Swedish Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Denmark Jon Holst-Christensen
Denmark Thomas Lund 		18–14, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1991 Thailand Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rudy Gunawan
Indonesia Eddy Hartono 		3–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1992 Chinese Taipei Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Malaysia Jalani Sidek
Malaysia Tan Kim Her 		15–7, 15–4 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1992 Malaysia Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang China Chen Hongyong
China Chen Kang 		15–12, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1992 World Grand Prix Finals Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		11–15, 6–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1993 Chinese Taipei Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Imay Hendra
Indonesia Bagus Setiadi 		15–3, 15–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1993 Malaysia Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		7–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1993 Dutch Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang China Jiang Xin
China Yu Qi 		15–4, 17–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1995 Malaysia Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Thailand Pramote Teerawiwatana
Thailand Sakrapee Thongsari 		15–5, 12–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1995 Thailand Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock China Huang Zhanzhong
China Jiang Xin 		9–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1995 World Grand Prix Finals Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rudy Gunawan
Indonesia Bambang Suprianto 		13–18, 15–2, 15–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1996 Korea Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		5–15, 14–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1996 All England Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		6–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1996 Malaysia Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Malaysia Choong Tan Fook
Malaysia Lee Wan Wah 		15–5, 15–3 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1996 US Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Sigit Budiarto
Indonesia Candra Wijaya 		16–18, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1996 Hong Kong Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Antonius Ariantho
Indonesia Denny Kantono 		6–15, 3–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1996 World Grand Prix Finals Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Rexy Mainaky
Indonesia Ricky Subagja 		4–15, 9–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1997 Korea Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock South Korea Ha Tae-kwon
South Korea Kang Kyung-jin 		15–4, 13–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1997 World Grand Prix Finals Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Sigit Budiarto
Indonesia Candra Wijaya 		15–17, 15–11, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1998 Japan Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Antonius Ariantho
Indonesia Denny Kantono 		15–9, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1998 Dutch Open Malaysia Choong Tan Fook Sweden Peter Axelsson
Sweden Pär-Gunnar Jönsson 		15–11, 15–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1999 Chinese Taipei Open Malaysia Choong Tan Fook Indonesia Antonius Ariantho
Indonesia Denny Kantono 		4–15, 17–14, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1999 Hong Kong Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Sigit Budiarto
Indonesia Halim Haryanto 		15–12, 15–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2000 Chinese Taipei Open Malaysia Yap Kim Hock Indonesia Tony Gunawan
Indonesia Candra Wijaya 		7–15, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

IBF International

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1992 Canada Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang South Korea Ahn Jae-chang
South Korea Choi Ji-tae 		15–4, 15–4 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1992 US Open Malaysia Soo Beng Kiang Denmark Thomas Lund
Sweden Jens Olsson 		15–9, 15–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

References

  1. ^ Talkah, Oleh Helmi (10 December 2018). "Kontrak Soon Kit, 3 jurulatih tak disambung". BH Online (in Malay). Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Switch that turned on the power". The Star. 25 December 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Badminton: Switch that turned on the power | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  4. ^ "The long, memorable road to victory | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Badminton: Soon Kit's the man for BAM to revive doubles fortunes | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Badminton: Soon Kit ready to restore Malaysian badminton to former glory | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Badminton: Kejian the latest to join exodus of coaches from BAM | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat". Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Seramai 335 terima darjah kebesaran sempena Hari Wilayah". Berita Harian (in Malay). 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.((cite news)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Rashid, Soon Kit dapat gelaran Datuk". Berita Harian (in Malay). 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.((cite news)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links

Thomas Cup badminton men's team champions
World Cup badminton men's doubles champions
World Badminton Grand Prix Finals men's doubles champions
Asian badminton men's doubles champions
Asian Cup badminton men's doubles champions
Malaysia medal winners at the Olympic Games
Anugerah Sukan Negara for Sportsman of the Year
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