SEA Games Aug 27 Roundup

Thailand clinch wakeboarding team gold
PUTRAJAYA: Thailand clinched the wakeboarding team gold in the 29th SEA Games.
Thai wakeboarders Tatsanai Tuakoonrat, Padiwat Jaemjan and Srirasin Khanklom collected 275 points while second-placed Singapore earned 245 points.
Singapore were represented by wakeboarding queen Sasha Christian, Gooi Jia Yi and Samuel Chua Min Yu. Indonesia took bronze with 170 points.
Malaysia exited in the preliminary round with 40 points.
Malaysian women's futsal squad fare worse
SHAH ALAM: The national women's futsal squad exited the competition in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games after being given a 12-0 hiding by the Thais in their last group match at the Panasonic Sports Complex here today.
The squad coached by Muizzudin Mohd Haris who defeated Myanmar (2-1), lost to Indonesia (1-2) and drew with Vietnam (1-1) ended up in fourth place, out of medal contention in the single league format competition.
Defending champions Thailand retained the gold after topping the group with 10 points while Vietnam also defended their silver medal. Indonesia picked up the bronze for the first time.
Malaysia won the bronze medal at the Myanmar Games in 2013. Women's futsal was not on offer in the last edition in Singapore (2015).
Only silver and bronze from sepak takraw doubles
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia had to settle for a silver in the men and bronze in the women sepak takraw doubles competition, here today.
The 0-2 loss to Myanmar proved costly as the six points collected from three wins against Cambodia (2-0), Philippines (2-1) and Laos (2-0) was not enough for the gold medal.
Myanmar with four wins from as many matches walked away with the gold and Malaysia ended with the silver while the Philippines and Laos were awarded the bronze in the competition held as a round robin format.
The women's squad who lost 0-2 to Thailand had to be contended with the bronze medal while Myanmar who were beaten 2-0 by Vietnam also settled for the bronze.
In the final, Thailand beat Vietnam 2-1 to clinch the gold medal.
Third gold medal for Malaysia in rhythmic gymnastics
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian rhythmic gymnasts clinched the gold in the group single apparatus (five hoops) final in the 29th SEA Games at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre here today
Amira Sofiya Amirul Fares, Chan Mei Thung, Koh Jei Yi, Tee Wei Qi, Tee Wei Wen and Thew Yue Jia collectively won the country's third gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics with 16.050 points in the event, edging silver medallists Singapore at 14.400 points and third-placed the Philippines at 10.650 points.
SEA Games debutant Amira Sofiya, 16, said she was happy with the medal but still had work to do as they eyed a gold medal in the group mixed apparatus event tomorrow.
"There was a slight mistake in our routine just now but we still did everything we could to win the gold," she told reporters after the prize-giving ceremony.
Earlier, the squad bagged its second gold - in the individual all-around event through Koi Sie Yan – as well as silver through Amy Kwan Dict Weng in the same event.
Yesterday, Malaysia clinched its first rhythmic gymnastics gold in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in the team event.
Rozaimi kicks his way to Malaysia's third gold in taekwondo
KUALA LUMPUR: Rozaimi Rozali kicked his way to present the third gold for Malaysia on the second day of the taekwondo competition in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here today.
In the kyorugi below 68 kg event final, Rozaimi Rozali and Filipino Arven Alcantara ended the bout with the score tied at 17-17 but the jury's decision favoured him.
The bronze was shared by Nutthawee Klompong of Thailand and Laos' Sorphabmixay Sithikon.
Met afterwards, Rozaimi said it was one of his most difficult bouts.
"I myself did not expect to win because both of us scored the same points. Nevertheless, the gold was awarded to me and it is one more in the bag for Malaysia," he said.
Meanwhile, Nur Intan Zulaikha and P. Thinagaran Naidu contributed a bronze each, in the kyorugi women's below 62kg and men's below 74kg respectively.
Yesterday, Malaysia won two gold medals, in the men's and women's individual pomsae.
Sixteen gold are on offer in the taekwondo competition which ends on Tuesday, the penultimate day of the Games.
Malaysia's haul in taekwondo at the last edition in Singapore in 2015 was three silver and three bronze.
Thailand women spike their way to 11th consecutive gold
KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand spiked their way to the women's volleyball gold for the 11th consecutive edition by beating Indonesia 25-18, 26-24, 26-24 in the final played at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, here today.
Thailand first won the gold in the 1995 Chiangmai edition hosted by Thailand.
Vietnam beat the Philippines 25-27, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 to claim the bronze.
Tze Liang delivers fifth gold medal in diving
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian divers completed a 1-2 finish in the men's 10m platform to win the gold and silver at the National Aquatic Centre here in Bukit Jalil.
Ooi Tze Liang and Chew Yiwei displayed spectacular dives to prove they were unbeatable in the region.
Tze Liang clinched the gold medal after accumulating 422.65 points while Yiwei took silver with a total of 412.75 points.
Singapore's Jonathan Chan Fan Keng bagged the bronze with a total of 367.90 points.
With the victory, the Malaysian diving team has collected five golds and silvers respectively after the second day of the diving competition at the 29th Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
Men's badminton singles challenge over
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's campaign to defend the SEA Games men's badminton singles title have fizzled out when both national representatives were eliminated in 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (KL2017).
Nonetheless, Malaysian players booked six semi-final slots including Malaysian women's singles players, Soniia Cheah and Goh Jin Wei after the quarter-finals concluded today.
Soniia will be meeting Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia who upset world number 12 and tournament top seed, Busanan Onvbamrungphan of Thailand in the quarter-finals.
Earlier Soniia defeated Thuy Linh Nguyen (Vietnam) 21-18, 13-21, 21-12 while Jin Wei will be facing Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong after overpowering Fitriani Fitriani of Indonesia 13-21, 21-15, 21-12.
In the men's singles, national champion Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, 26, lost to Tien Minh Nguyen of Vietnam 21-16, 17-21, 18-21 in the quarter-finals at Arena Axiata today and snuffed out Malaysia's chance to defend the gold medal by Chong Wei Feng in Singapore two years ago.
Earlier world number 68th player, Lee Zii Jia was earlier shown the exit in the second round.
In the women's doubles, Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei will meet Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai in the semi-finals after beating Ong Re-Ne and Crystal Wong Jia Ying of Singapore 21-12, 21-10.
Meanwhile men's doubles pair of Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi will be facing tournament top seeds, Bodin Issara-Nipitphon Phuangphuapet of Thailand in the semi-finals after they crushed Carlos Antonie Cayanan-Philip Joper Escueta (Philippines) 21-12, 21-6.
Two national mixed doubles pairs, Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai also progressed to the semi-finals tomorrow.
Soon Huat-Shevon, ranked 18th in the world are down to meet Thailand's Bodin Issara-Savitree Amitrapai (21) while Peng Soon-Yee See will meet another Thai pair of Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
Malaysia sweep seven out of eight gold medals in lawn bowls
KUALA LUMPUR: It rained gold medals at the National Lawn Bowls Centre in Bukit Kiara as Malaysian bowlers swept the seventh gold medal to underline their dominance in lawn bowls, missing just one of the eight gold medals at stake in the sport.
It was Malaysia's seventh in the sport that offered eight gold medals in the SEA Games competition.
Emma Firyana Saroji, the 2015 World Singles Champion of Champions Lawn Bowls Game in Australia, beat Brunei's Amaliah Mat Ali 21-12 in the final to complete a memorable outing for lawn bowls in the Kuala Lumpur edition.
Malaysia under coach Simon Botha, Zuraidi Puteh and Syed Mohamad Syed Akil had already won the women's fours, men's triples, women's triples, men's pairs, women's pairs and men's individual.
The only gold medal that slipped away was in the men's fours.
Amaliah had started well by taking a 4-0 lead by the fourth end but Emma Firyana who drew level in the fifth end never looked back until the 22 ends were over.
"This win goes out to my late father Saroji Kaspan. He died in 2015 when I was about to leave to Australia to take part in the World Singles Champion of Champions Lawn Bowls Game. Though I had delayed my flight to be with him, he passed away and went on to compete and win the title," she said.
Emma Firyana said her father would have been very proud of her achievements.
Only a bronze on final day of judo
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia could only muster one bronze on the final day of the Judo competition in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
It was contributed by Nor Izzatul Fazlia Mohamad Tahir who defeated Tiara Arta Garthia of Indonesia 1-0 in the women's below 78kg repecharge.
She shared the medal with Sydney Sy of the Philippines who beat Thailand's Prawiset Chatthayaporn on points in the other repecharge.
Defending champion Nguyen Thi Nhu Y of Vietnam retained the gold medal after defeating Myanmar's, Aye Aye Aung 1-0 in the final.
Malaysia's haul in judo this time around was one silver and three bronze.
Malaysia nab first ever men's International 470 sailing title
LANGKAWI: The 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games will be a watershed for the sailing squad for they captured Malaysia's first ever gold medal in the men's International 470 event in SEA Games.
Indeed duo Mohammad Faizal Norizan and Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz snagged more than just a gold medal for the contingent after beating Thai and Filipino sailors in the event.
"It is a historic moment for us and our national sailing fraternity," said Mohammad Faizal after the medal presentation ceremony here today by Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk M Saravanan.
He said the victory would be the right tonic for both of them to attempt to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Mohammad Faizal said they have sailing partners for four year starting with Optimist and later the International 420 before graduating to the International 470 category.
Meanwhile the sailing squad's successful defence of the International 420 gold was another high point at KL2017 especially for the combination of Muhammad Uzair Amin Mohd Yusof and Naquib Eiman Shahrin.
Naquib said the race was initially very closely contested but they gave their best to prevail today.
So far sailing has delivered three gold, two silver and one bronze medals.
There will be another seven gold medals in SEA Games sailing competition until Aug 29.
Zhi-Jie skates his way to gold
KUALA LUMPUR: Julian Yee Zhi-Jie won the judges hearts with dazzling performances in the men's individual figure skating event in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games which concluded at Ice Arena, Empire City in Petaling Jaya today.
The judges awarded the 20 -year-old 205.43 points overall for his performances to the beat of both slow and fast music in in the short programme yesterday and the free skating part today.
He scored 132.40 points today and 73.03 points in the short programme.
"The crowds are amazing and that kept me going and I just wanted to perform for them. My next major competition is in one month in Germany, that is the Olympic qualifiers for the 2018 winter Olympics and I really hope I can do my very best," he told reporters after the prize-giving ceremony.
Teammate Chew Kai Xiang took the bronze with 145.52 points overall while Michael Christian Martinez of the Philippines won the silver (171.63 points).
As for the women's category, Aneeta Lingam and Aina Sorfina Mohd Aminudin finished in fifth and last place. Singapore's Shuran Yu and Chloe Xuanling Ing won the gold and silver while Alisson Krystle Perticheto of the Philippines the bronze.
This was the first time ice skating featured in the biennial Games.
— Bernama