National men’s doubles stars Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are set to reunite as a partnership after the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in October, Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Lee Chong Wei has confirmed.
Chong Wei said the decision followed a candid discussion involving himself, the coaching team and both players yesterday, with the pair agreeing to continue their partnership in major tournaments leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
For the upcoming Asian Games, however, Aaron will temporarily team up with Tee Kai Wun, while Wooi Yik will not feature in the competition.
Chong Wei explained that the coaching team decided to experiment with a different combination for the continental Games as part of efforts to produce stronger pairings for the tournament.
“I told Rexy (Mainaky) after this Asian Games, they (Aaron-Wooi Yik) will be back as partners until 2028,” he said, according to Bernama, on the sidelines of the Lee Chong Wei Cup badminton tournament at Juara Stadium, Bukit Kiara.
The temporary split had reportedly sparked questions over whether Aaron and Wooi Yik had been consulted, but Chong Wei said the issue was addressed during the meeting.
He said both players had made clear their shared ambition of competing at the 2028 Olympics, allowing the matter to be settled and the pair to move forward.
“I told Wooi Yik and Aaron, it’s okay. Now we close this chapter. They said they want to go to the 2028 Olympics. If you want to be on the same page and go together, okay,” he said.
The Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from Sept 19 to Oct 4, with Aaron set to form a temporary partnership as BAM explores its options ahead of the competition.
The reunion after the Games is expected to give the Olympic bronze medallists a clear long-term target as they work towards another Olympic campaign in Los Angeles.
