BAM to hold special retirement ceremony for Liu Ying

KUALA LUMPUR: For a retiring badminton icon like Goh Liu Ying, it's only befitting that she receives a rousing send-off.

BA of Malaysia (BAM) will hold a retirement ceremony for the 33-year-old at Axiata Arena on Saturday, just before the commencement of the Petronas Malaysia Open semi-finals.

No in-depth details are available yet but it is learnt that the event will see Liu Ying performing in an exhibition match with a group of friends and giving her farewell speech.

A brief video clip with highlights of her illustrious career will also be played during the one-hour event which is scheduled to start at 10am.

BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh said today: "It may be a brief ceremony, but hopefully it will be meaningful for Liu Ying.

"There will be shuttlers involved along with some of Liu Ying's close friends.

"Since the event will be held just before the semi-final matches, we will be opening the (stadium) gates earlier on Saturday.

"We would like to invite the fans to come earlier and together we will give Liu Ying the rousing send-off she truly deserves."

Liu Ying played her last competitive match yesterday which saw her and long-time partner Chan Peng Soon going down 18-21, 21-15, 21-7 to Indonesia's Rehan Naufal Kusharianto-Lisa Ayu Kusumawati in the first round.

Liu Ying-Peng Soon made the country proud with numerous outstanding achievements throughout their 13-year partnership which includes winning silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The feat made Liu Ying the only national women's shuttler to ever win a medal at the Olympics.