Sarawak Badminton Association rewards SEA Games bronze medallist Wong Ling Ching RM5,000 incentive

KUCHING (Feb 10): The Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) has presented an incentive of RM5,000 to national women’s singles number two player Wong Ling Ching in recognition of her impressive performance at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

The Sarawakian shuttler from Miri delivered a commendable outing at the games, securing a bronze medal in the women’s singles event — Malaysia’s first women’s singles medal at the SEA Games since 2019.

The incentive was handed over by SBA honorary secretary Datuk Dr Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad on behalf of the association, as part of its ongoing commitment to support Sarawak athletes representing Malaysia at major competitions.

Wan Khalik said the contribution was a token of appreciation for Wong’s hard work and achievements.

“We are delighted with Wong’s performance at the SEA Games. Winning a medal at such a major regional event is a remarkable achievement and reflects her dedication and persistence,” he told The Borneo Post.

“We hope that this incentive encourages her to continue striving for excellence,” he added.

Wan Khalik recently visited Wong at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara to personally check on her progress.

“I visited her at ABM to see how she is doing and to show our support. We want our athletes to know that Sarawak is behind them every step of the way,” he said.

Since joining the Malaysian national badminton setup in 2021, Wong has compiled an impressive list of achievements.

After progressing through the national junior pathway, she secured strong results on the international circuit, including reaching the quarter-finals of the Japan Masters — a World Tour Super 500 event — where she stunned world No. 15 Michelle Li for her first win over a top-20 opponent.

She also finished runner-up at the Malaysia Super 100 event and reached the quarter-finals at the Canada Open.

Earlier in her career, Wong made history at the Sukma Games by winning Sarawak’s first ever women’s singles gold medal in badminton.

Now 22, Wong has continued her rise and is currently ranked world No. 41, positioning her among Malaysia’s top women’s singles shuttlers.

Her performances have brought her closer to the national No. 1 spot, highlighting her potential to lead the national team in future competitions.

“Our aim is not only to support players now but to cultivate the next generation of badminton talent from Sarawak,” Wan Khalik said.