High-flying Hui Xuan hungry for more after anxious win
IPOH: The Sarawak wushu team kicked off their Sukma XIX campaign at Kolej Matrikulasi Perak in Gopeng with one gold, two silver and one bronze medals.
They delivered podium fi nishes in four out of the five events contested on the fi rst day.
Presenting the golden cheer to the Sarawak camp was Lee Hui Xuan who won the women’s nandao.
“I am very happy to win the fi rst gold for Sarawak in this Sukma and I didn’t expect to win it. I was nervous during the competition,” said the 18- year- old who was the last of the 10 contestants to perform.
Lee, who is competing in her third Sukma, had actually switched to nandao after she joined the national back-up squad last year.
Motivated by the win yesterday, she will be going all out in her next events, the nanquan and nangun.
In the first event of the day Elvin Bong Qian Zheng, who was expected to defend the men’s jianshu title, committed errors during execution of the routine, had to settle for the silver with 9.40 points, losing to Melaka’s Si Shin Peng by merely 0.08 points.
Mohamad Afiq Danial Mohd Firdous Chua came in third on 9.38 points and Sarawak’s other representative Fu Sian Wei finished eighth with 9.28 points in his Sukma debut.
A visibly upset Bong, winner of two golds and a bronze at the last Sukma in Sarawak, is now looking to make amends in the qiangshu - where he is also the defending champion - and the changquan.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Ngu Chai Ern was one happy lass after winning silver in the women’s jianshu where she scored 9.40 points, losing only by 0.04 points to Melaka’s gold medalist Tammy Tan Hui Ling.
12- year- old Perlis debutant Wong Kai Yin took the bronze (9.34) after dishing out a lively and courageous display to thunderous applause from the spectators.
In the men’s gunshu event, Sarawak’s Clement Thian Fung Seng had to endure pain on his injured wrist before wresting the bronze medal with 9.43 points.
The gold and silver went to Tan Cheong Wan of Melaka and Muhammad Danish Aizad Mohd Firdaus Chua with 9.58 points and 9.45 points respectively.
Sarawak’s Clement Ting Su Wei, the defending champion, could only fi nish fourth with 9.24 points after committing some errors.