From Rio Silver to WPC Series: Chan Peng Soon's Pickleball Debut
Andrew LeeA Rio 2016 silver medallist is stepping onto a pickleball court in Subang Jaya. Chan Peng Soon, the badminton player who, alongside Goh Liu Ying, became the first Malaysian mixed doubles pair to win an Olympic medal, has been named a player spotlight for WPC Series Malaysia 2026, running 27 to 30 August at 91 Pickleball Clubhouse.
Chan's badminton résumé is real weight to bring into a pickleball bracket. He and Goh reached a career-high world No. 3 ranking in mixed doubles in 2012, four years before their Rio silver.
A Familiar Pattern, Not a One-Off
Chan isn't the only Olympic-level racquet-sport name showing up on a Malaysian pickleball court this same week. Olympic badminton athletes also joined 91 Pickleball's own Team Event Championship exhibition, a second, separate crossover landing in the same venue's orbit within days. Badminton and pickleball share enough of the same footwork, reflexes, and net-game instincts that this kind of migration keeps producing genuine competitive results, not just novelty appearances.
Chan's own sponsor material leans into that transferable skill set directly, framing his composure and sharp reflexes as carrying over from two decades of elite racquet-sport experience. He plays with Protech XP's ValorPro paddle, the brand's gear visible across every training shot in the announcement.
WPC Series Malaysia runs 27 to 30 Aug at 91 Pickleball Clubhouse, part of a touring series billed as "Where Legends Rise" and run across multiple countries, not just a single Malaysia stop.
This article is based on social media posts and historical data tracked by Pickle361.
