MALACCA: It may be a silver medal but “she is still a hero,” an elated Goh Chak Wee said of his daughter Liu Ying’s (pic) performance in the badminton mixed doubles final at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday night.

“My heart was full of pride and filled with patriotism when my daughter and her partner (Chan Peng Soon) took the medal at the world arena,” Chak Whee said.

Chak Whee, 60, and his wife Yong Oi Lin, 53, were watching the game at the residence of Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Haron.

Idris said the state would confer Liu Ying with an honorary title and a RM25,000 cash award for her silver medal efforts.

Chak Whee said he thanked Idris and all Malaysians for the support shown to his daughter although she was not able to get the gold.

“I guess my daughter has created history for the nation’s sports and she has the opportunity to go for glory in badminton in future tournaments,” he said.

Yong said she and her daughter had kept in contact hours before the game.

“I gave her all the encouragement to excel and go for gold.

“It’s okay even if she got a silver for the nation. I am proud of her, it was our dream to get an Olympic medal,” Yong said.

She said that despite undergoing two knee surgeries in 2014, Liu Ying still put up a great performance.

“It has been challenging for her but she made all of us, family, friends and nation proud,” she added.-thestar