Malaysia Bags 29 Golds At Meet, Half From Athletics

By Y.P. SIVAM
metrospt@thestar.com.my Photos by SAM THAM

IT WAS an impressive outing for Malaysia at the Asean Schools Games (ASG) in Surabaya, Indonesia.

In the games involving 11 sports — athletics, golf, basketball, badminton, tennis, volleyball, sepak takraw, table tennis, pencak silat, gymnastics and swimming — Malaysia finished third with 29 gold, 36 silver 35 bronze medals. Thailand emerged as the overall champions with (38-28-47) followed by Indonesia (33-33-27) .

Education Ministry sports division director Ee Hong said they had reasons to be pleased with the Malaysian contingent’s results in the ASG.

In form: Alif Ashraf Mohamad won the gold medal in the boys 110m hurdles.

“We were champions in athletics. The athletes contributed 14 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals. We also won the gold medal in tennis and sepak takraw for the first time,’’ said Ee Hong.

In athletics, S. Saranraj, a student from Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), won three gold medalsin the 1,500m 5,000m and 2,000m steeplechase. Noor Shahidatun Nadia Mohd Zuki, also from the BJSS, was also in good form and won golds in the long and triple jump events.

The Malaysian tennis team created an upset when they wrested the team gold from favourites Indonesia while the sepak takraw team, comprising Ahmad Izat Mohd Nor, Shoibul Fadzilah Abdul Samad and Mohd Kamal Zaman Akhbar, won the inter-regu after victory over Thailand in the final.

Ee Hong said the Malaysians’ victory in tennis and sepak takraw was due the players’ gutsy display.

Job well done: Ee Hong (centre) looking at the medals won by the Malaysians.

“Indonesia had dominated the tennis event while Thailand were winners in sepak takraw for the past three ASGs. In table tennis, our boys defeated Singapore in the semi-finals but lost to Thailand in the final. Singapore were considered the favourites and had several world ranked juniors,’’ said Ee Hong.

International Amy Kwan won four gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics. She won golds in the hoop, ball, ribbon and overall individual events She was also a member of the gold medal winning team.

Ee Hong was full of praise for Amy, who was nursing an injury during the championships.

“She had to seek treatment but delivered the golds for Malaysia. We are certainly impressed with her commitment. We won all five gold medals offered in rhythmic gymnastics,’’ she added.

Malaysia won five golds in swimming with Ian James Barr and Vernon Lee Jeau Zhi winning two each. The fifth gold came from Christine Loh.

Striking a pose: Amy Kwan won five gold medals in the ASG.

However, Malaysia will have to review their training programme for pencak silat which made its debut in Surabaya. Malaysia only won one gold medal from the 21 at stake. Vietnam were the surprise overall champions in pencak silat with 12 gold medals while Indonesia were second with eight.

Ee Hong said Vietnam would be hosting the ASG in Hanoi next year,

“Based on their success in pencak silat, there is a strong possibility of the sport being included in the ASG. We have to start preparations to do well in pencak silat,’’ said Ee Hong.

The Education Ministry’s sports division will be meeting soon to evaluate their results in the ASG.