Jack Chang not giving up despite food poisoning
THE Malaysian wushu team may return empty handed forr the second straight Asian Games unless Loh Jack Chang can make a miraculous recovery today.
An ill Jack Chang is the onlyy Malaysian left with a chance of saving Malaysia the blushes in the wushu competition.
He has been down with food poisoning over the last two days and it will be mind over matter for the double Kuala Lumpur SEA Games gold medallists when he returns for the men’s taijijian (taiji sword) routine today.
A weakened Jack Chang was unable to put up his best performance due to his condition in the taijiquan routine in Kemayoran yesterday.
The 31-year-old only managed 9.58 to place 13th.
The scores will be carried forward with the medal winners determined after the end of the taijijian event.
China’s Chen Zouli is on top with 9.75 points while four others – Samuel Hui of Hong Kong, Sun Chia-hung of Taiwan, Araya Tomohiro of Japan and Yu Won-hee of South Korea – are tied on 9.70.
Jack Chang put up a brave front despite his condition.
“I’m not so happy with my performance also. I made a mistake and the juries deducted points,” said Jack Chang, who did not want to talk about the food poisoning.
“I’ll not give up. I really want to do well tomorrow as it will be my last performance in the Asian Games,” said Jack Chang, who returned home without any medals from the last two Asiad in Guangzhou ( 2010) and Incheon (2014).
Phoon Eyin failed to make a breakthrough in her second Asian Games campaign.
The former SEA Games gold medallist Phoon Eyin did well to score 9.68 points for her qiangshu (sword) routine to place fourth overall in the women’s jianshu and qiangshu all-round (19.24).
Phoon Eyin was not disappointed with her performance.
“I came close to taking a medal and I am not disappointed. It shows that I still have room to improve,” said the 22-year-old. At the last Asiad in Incheon, wushu earned the first gold for the Malaysian contingent through Tai Cheau Xuen in women’s nanquan. However, she had to return the gold later following a doping offence.