M’sia continue SEA Games reign

KUALA LUMPUR: National strongman Jackie Wong Siew Cheer seized the spotlight with Malaysia adding six gold by late afternoon yesterday to continue their domination as the SEA Games braces for another cliffhanger in the men’s curve sprint at the National Stadium on Wednesday night.

Two more gold came from the karate squad through Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan in the women’s below 55kg and R. Sharmendran in the men’s 75kg kumite.

The remaining three were from women athletes - walker Elina Goh in the 10km event, gymnast queen Farah Ann Abdul Hadi and the tenpin bowling women’s trio of Esther Cheah, Shalin Zukifli and Sin Li Jane.

With more medals to be decided including in swimming, athletics and karate, the hosts remain at the top with 46 gold, 35 silver and 26 bronze. Trailing behind are Vietnam with 22, Singapore 21, Thailand and Indonesia 15, the Philippines eight and Myanmar four.

Strapping Wong gave himself a belated birthday gift with the hammer throw gold and shouted with delight as his fourth throw soared over the SEA Games mark to a record 65.90m in his tussle against Thailand’s silver placed Kittipong Boonmawan who cleared 65.49m.

In winning the event for Malaysia after 16 years, the Sarawakian, who turned 25 on July 4, rewrote his own national record three times this year, his best was 65.34m before this.

The National Stadium in Bukit Jalil will come alive again with hopes of Khairul Hafiz Jantan pulling off a sprint double after bagging the 100m on Tuesday night. A second Malaysian, G. Aravinn Thevarr, Thailand’s Jirapong Meenapra and Filipino Anthony Beram are in the final eight.

In the women’s 200m event are Malaysia’s Husniah Zulkifli and favourite Le Tu Chinh of Vietnam who upset the field yesterday for the 100m gold.