Supreme at home
Malaysia finish overall champions in Asean Schools Games
PETALING JAYA: A seven-gold rush helped Malaysia to finish as overall champions in the Asean Schools Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Golds from squash, badminton, volleyball and swimming on the final day of competition yesterday saw the host contingent finish on top with 37 golds, 34 silvers and 32 bronzes.
Indonesia, who had announced their intention to become overall champions on their arrival here, settled for second with 31-36-30. Malaysia ended undefeated in the boys’ and girls’ squash team events with wins over the Philippines (3-0) and Indonesia (3-0) respectively.
Noor Aina Amani beat Yee Xin Ying 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10 in an-all
Malaysian final affair later.
The shuttlers managed to contribute two golds from the mixed doubles and boys’ doubles.
Yap Roi King-Gan Jing Er beat Indonesians Reezky Alfarez-Ayu Gary Luna Maharani 21-14, 21-17 for the mixed doubles title.
Roi King later combined with Ooi Jhy Dar to beat teammates Wan Muhammad Arif JunaidiWyman Goh 21-18, 21-12 in the boys’ doubles final.
Malaysia also contested the boys’ and girls’ singles finals but lost both.
Jacky Kok lost to Indonesia’s Nur Yahya 12-21, 22-20, 19-21. Indonesia also claimed the girls’ singles title through Aisah Galuh Maheswari, who overcame K. Letshanaa 13-21, 21-12, 23-21.
Swimmer Sebastian Soon clinched his third gold medal in as many days in the boys’ 1,500m freestyle. Sebastian, who set a new national record in the 400m individual event on Monday, came out tops in the 1,500m race in 16:09.87.
The boys’ volleyball team claimed the last gold for Malaysia by beating Indonesia 3-1 in the final.
“I’m happy to see very good performances in almost all the sports we took part in. Athletics, gymnastics and squash helped push us to the top spot.
“It is the third time we won the overall title,” said Malaysian head of contingent Zainal Abas, who is also the national athletics chief coach.
Malaysia were also overall champions when they hosted the Asean Schools Games in 2010 and they achieved the feat for the second time in the Philippines in 2014.
In Singapore last year, Malaysia finished fourth overall.
In athletics, Malaysia delivered 10-12-8 while making a clean sweep of all the six gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics.