Lucas Mazur and Lee Sam Seop – the Male Para-Badminton Player of the Year in 2016 and 2015 respectively – are once again in the running for the award this season.
The two are among eight nominees who have made the shortlist for the year-end Para-Badminton Player of the Year honours which will be presented at the Players’ Reception and Gala Dinner in Dubai next Monday night, on the eve of the Dubai World Superseries Finals.
The Male Para-Badminton Player of the Year and Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year will be chosen from among four contenders each by the BWF Awards Commission. Both shortlists consist of the year’s most outstanding athletes.
The nominees for Male Para-Badminton Player of the Year are Lucas Mazur (France), Kim Jungjun (Korea), Lee Sam Seop (Korea) and Cheah Liek Hou (Malaysia).
The Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year shortlist features Rachel Choong (England), Yuma Yamazaki (Japan), Sujirat Pookkham (Thailand) and Amnouy Wetwithan (Thailand).
Here are the nominees and the highlights of their season (listed alphabetically by member association):
MALE PARA-BADMINTON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LUCAS MAZUR (FRANCE): SL 4 Men’s Singles (MS) and Men’s Doubles (MD)
Overall: 5 Gold, 5 Silver, 3 Bronze
Gold Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (MS)
Winner: Spanish Para-Badminton International (MS); Ireland Para-Badminton International (MS, MD); Japan Para-Badminton International (MS)
KIM JUNGJUN (KOREA): WH 2 Men’s Singles (MS); Men’s Doubles (MD) and Mixed Doubles (XD)
Overall: 12 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Gold Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (MS & MD)
Winner: Spanish Para-Badminton International (MS, MD, XD); Thailand Para-Badminton International (MS, MD); Japan Para-Badminton International (MS, XD); USA Para-Badminton International (MS, MD, XD)
LEE SAM SEOP (KOREA): WH 1 Men’s Singles (MS); Men’s Doubles (MD) and Mixed Doubles (XD)
Overall: 7 Gold, 5 Silver, 2 Bronze
Gold Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (MS & MD)
Silver Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (XD)
Winner: Thailand Para-Badminton International (MD); Ireland Para-Badminton International (MS, MD); Japan Para-Badminton International (MD); USA Para-Badminton International (MD)
CHEAH LIEK HOU (MALAYSIA): SU 5 Men’s Singles (MS) and Men’s Doubles (MD)
Overall: 9 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Gold Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (MS)
Silver Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (MD)
Winner: Spanish Para-Badminton International (MS, MD); Thailand Para-Badminton International (MS, MD); Japan Para-Badminton International (MS, MD); USA Para-Badminton International (MS, MD)
*****
FEMALE PARA-BADMINTON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RACHEL CHOONG (ENGLAND): SS 6 Women’s Singles (WS); Women’s Doubles (WD); and Mixed Doubles (XD)
Overall: 9 Gold
Gold Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (WS, WD, XD)
Winner: Spanish Para-Badminton International (WS, XD); Ireland Para-Badminton International (WS, XD); Japan Para-Badminton International (WS, XD);
YUMA YAMAZAKI (JAPAN): WH 2 Women’s Singles (WS) and Women’s Doubles (WD)
Overall: 5 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze
Winner: Peru Para-Badminton International (WS, WD); Japan Para-Badminton International (WS); USA Para-Badminton International (WS, WD)
SUJIRAT POOKKHAM (THAILAND): WH 1 Women’s Singles (WS); Women’s Doubles (WD); and Mixed Doubles (XD)
Overall: 5 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze
Winner: Thailand Para-Badminton International (WS, WD); Ireland Para-Badminton International (XD); Japan Para-Badminton International (WS, WD)
AMNOUY WETWITHAN (THAILAND): WH 2 Women’s Singles (WS); Women’s Doubles (WD); and Mixed Doubles (XD)
Overall: 7 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze
Gold Medal: BWF Para-Badminton World Championships (XD)
Winner: Thailand Para-Badminton International (WS, WD); Ireland Para-Badminton International (WS, WD, XD); Japan Para-Badminton International (WD)