Divers lead with 3 gold to push Malaysia's tally to 81

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's world-class divers took to the 29th SEA Games opening with three gold to push the hosts further ahead in their target for 111 and overall domination of the biennial sporting event.
Sprinting away with 13 gold medals by late afternoon, Malaysia continued their impressive lead with 81 gold, 56 silver and 47 bronze, ahead of Vietnam in second place with 46 and Singapore at 42.
Thailand, the 2015 overall champions, are in an unfamiliar fourth with 40 followed by Indonesia 27, the Philippines 16, Myanmar six, and Cambodia one.
The day's drama included Thailand edging Myanmar 1-0 to advance into the men's football gold contention against either Malaysia or Indonesia who will clash in the other semifinal tonight.
And in shooting, Vietnam's Rio Olympics hero Hoang Xuan Vinh was outgunned by Malaysia's Johnathan Wong for the men's 10m air pistol gold with 238.30 points against Hoang's silver-placed 234.10.
At the National Aquatic Centre, Ng Yan Yee overcame pain from a spate of injuries to start the ball rolling with 1-2 finish for Malaysia in the women's 3m springboard for her first gold medal in four Games. She accumulated 341.90 points while Nur Dhabitah Sabri took silver with 311.25 points.
"This gold is not for myself, it is for everybody. I didn't focus on the board and didn't know I was first," said Yan Yee, giving credit to Nur Dhabitah as the "best competitor" to push her in taking over the mantle of world champion Cheong Jun Hoong who took the gold for Malaysia in the last Games.
Supportive fans received an appreciative bow from Ooi Tze Liang who easily retained the men's event with teammate Ahmad Amsyar Azman bagging the silver and in the mixed doubles, Olympic medallist Pandelela Rinong partnered 15-year-old Gabriel Gilbert Daim for the mixed team gold.
The close of the athletics competition was a sparkling day for Malaysia with Nauraj Singh leaping to a treble in the men's high jump, extending his reign since the 2013 and 2015 Games. Both Nauraj and teammate Loo Kum Zee matched Loo's 2.24 Games record.
Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian celebrated an ecstatic gold in the men's 110m hurdles by shaving his head bald. He led from start to finish in a time of 13.83s to upset previous gold medallist and record holder Jamras Rittidet of Thailand who arrived second.
Not to be outdone by a fine showing from the karate team, taekwondo exponents Yap Kim Wen and Chew Wei Yan started by grabbing the women's and men's individual poomsae.
Young water ski sensation Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah defending the women's overall jump gold and yet again proved she was a class above the rest with 2678.89 points with Nur Alimah Priambodo of Indonesia placing a distant second at 1,874.41 points.
Displaying their superiority in rhythmic gymnastics, Malaysia grabbed the first gold in the team final with 153.100 points facing no real threat from second-placed Thailand with 122.550 points, and will be the favourites again tomorrow in the all around and group five hoops final.
In lawn bowls, Malaysia was in firm command, reining in a fourth and fifth gold from the men's and women's doubles. The men's title was brought home by Fairul Izwan Abd Muin and Muhammad Hizlee Abdul Rais who proved too much for Filipinos Marcelito Pancho and Morales Angelo with a 20-13 win.
The women's gold went to Siti Zalina Ahmad and Auni Fathiah Khamis who fended off Brunei's Esawandy Brahim and Dk Nurul Nabilah Pg Md Salleh Chuchu 17-10.
The Malaysian equestrian squad continued their domination delivering a third gold, this time by the show jumping team of Praveen Nair Mathavan, Sharmini Christina Ratnasingham, Neelan Jonathan Ratnasingham and Mohd Qabil Ambak Mahamad Fathil without any penalty points.
Tomorrow will witness the fight for 34 of the remaining 126 gold left in four more days of competition and attention will shift to the Nilai Velodrome for the start of track cycling in which Malaysia, led by keirin world champion Azizulhasni Awang is tipped to return with the lion's share of the 13 gold for grabs. — Bernama