"Thank you, Malaysia!" Wu Liuying's retirement ceremony concluded successfully—farewell, "Niangniang"!

"Thank you, Malaysia!" Malaysia's renowned mixed doubles player Goh Liu Ying officially retired from professional badminton after a 15-year career, bringing her illustrious journey to an end on home soil.

The Malaysian Badminton Association held a retirement ceremony this morning at 10 a.m. at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, honoring 33-year-old Goh Liu Ying ahead of her semifinal match at the Malaysia Open Badminton Championships.

Wu Liuying’s partners Chen Bingshun, former national teammates Gao Jianjie and Chen Wenhong, Tokyo Paralympic men’s singles gold medalist Xie Lihao, and her close friend, top U.S. women’s singles player Zhang Beiwén, all attended this morning’s event.

Six players competed in a thrilling 30-minute 3-on-3 mixed exhibition match, delivering high-energy, fan-friendly matchups—especially featuring the long-awaited return of former Malaysian men’s doubles stars Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.

Additionally, Rosman—the former head coach of Malaysia’s national badminton team who paired Chen Bing Shun with Goh Liu Ying—and Yan Weide, who led the Shun-Ying duo to win the silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, as well as Chen Yihui, the recently retired doubles libero coach, were all present to witness their former students’ retirement ceremony.

The Malaysian Badminton Association Secretary-General, Dato' Ng Chee Keong, also attended to present flowers to Goh Liu Ying, expressing his gratitude for her contributions to Malaysian badminton over the years.

Wu Liuying and Chen Bingshun began their partnership in 2008. After Wu underwent knee surgery in May 2014, she took nearly a year off from competition. Their greatest achievements together include winning the silver medal at the Rio Olympics, claiming the bronze at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, securing the silver at the 2015 Singapore Southeast Asian Games, and lifting the title at the 2010 Asian Championships.

In May 2017, Wu Liuying traveled to Germany for another surgery due to a shoulder injury. In 2019, she and Chen Bing Shun retired from the national team to pursue professional careers, eventually making their third Olympic appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Father Wu Zuohui also arrived at the scene to witness his daughter’s retirement. Mr. Wu openly admitted he felt saddened, but at the same time, he was incredibly proud of his daughter for fulfilling a dream he himself hadn’t been able to achieve—becoming a national badminton player and stepping onto the Olympic podium.

Today, Wu Zuohui attended his daughter Wu Liuying’s retirement ceremony at the Axiang Sports Arena in Bukit Jalil. As his daughter’s biggest fan, he tearfully reflected during a post-event press conference on the heartfelt journey of nurturing Wu Liuying into a professional badminton player—from her early days to her remarkable career.

“I feel so sad because I’ll never have the chance to watch my daughter play in person again. I took her to the stadium when she was just 3 years old to see games, and I’d even ask her to join me for live broadcasts.”

“At the time, I talked to her about the Olympics and how to compete, but she didn’t seem to grasp it. That’s when I made up my mind—to nurture her into becoming a national-level athlete. But I didn’t set overly high expectations for her; in fact, her achievements have far exceeded my wildest hopes.”

Wu Zuohui said that Wu Liuying and Chen Bingshun winning the silver medal together at the 2016 Rio Olympics was the proudest moment of all—so remarkable, in fact, that it defies words.

He also said that Wu Liuying was an incredibly caring daughter before joining the Bukit Jalil Sports School as a teenager. Though she was still too young to fully understand badminton at the time, she remained remarkably well-behaved on the court—often sitting quietly to watch him play.

“From that moment on, I started coaching Liu Ying in badminton—until one day I realized I could no longer beat her, so I hired a coach to train her instead. Every time she competes, all I ever hope for is that she stays safe and doesn’t get hurt, because when my daughter’s injured, it feels like the pain is mine as well. Liu Ying is an incredibly resilient person; even when she’s hurt, she always pushes through to finish the match, rarely choosing to withdraw.”

When asked about his pre-match advice to his daughter, Wu Zuohui noted that he only reminds Liu Ying to do her best—never urging her to win—so as not to add unnecessary pressure.

Additionally, Goh Liu Ying expressed her gratitude to the Malaysian Badminton Association for organizing this simple yet deeply meaningful retirement ceremony, and announced that she will now aim to host tournaments to promote the sport of badminton.

“The first stop is the February 3-on-3 tournament, followed by another event in April. The competition will feature different age categories—divided into adult and youth levels—and will kick off in Kuala Lumpur before rolling out to other states. This is an open event for all Malaysian players, as badminton is a sport deeply cherished by many Malaysians.”