Show stealers
Aaron and Ee Wei smash their way to two golds each
Sukma athletes were riding high in Perak yesterday as five Games records fell. Terengganu’s Azreen Nabila Alias was the star of the day as her 11.81 run in the 100m smashed the 10-year Games record. Muhammad Ilham Suhaimi bettered the boys’ 400m time that stood for 16 years while Johnny Ling Siew Hong hurled the hammer to a new distance. Farhana Nabila Mohd Shamsudin celebrated her 20th birthday in style by setting new marks in weightlifting.
SHUTTLER Aaron Chia and TohT Ee
Wei were on a class of their own in their final outing at the Malaysia Games (Sukma).
The Melaka duo smashedd their way to two gold medals eachh as the curtain came down on the badminton competition at the Perak Badminton Arena yesterday.
The two were clinical as they powered past Federal Territories’ Soh Wooi Yik-Wong Kha Yan with a sensational 21-11, 21-11 win in the mixed doubles final.
But as if that was not enough, Aaron and Ee Wei went their separate ways to win the boys’ and girls’ doubles titles as well.
Aaron formed a lethal partnership with Tee Kai Wun to defeat national shuttlers Hoo Pang Ron-Wooi Yik 21-17, 18-21, 21-17 in the boys’ doubles final and the 18-year-old Ee Wei partnered Anna Cheong to knock out Eng Sin Jou-Pearly Tan of Kedah 20-22, 21-15, 21-17 for the girls’ title.
Aaron said winning the mixed doubles was a bonus.
“Ee Wei and I didn’t really expect to win the mixed doubles but we were confident after beating top seeds (Hoo Pang Ron-Tan Sueh Jeou of Federal Teritorries) in the quarter-finals,” said Aaron.
“I’m not a mixed doubles specialist like the others, so Ee Wei and I played without any pressure to go all the way to win it.”
Aaron admitted that it was unusual to play against Wooi Yik in two finals in a day but it was all for the fun of the competition.
Aaron-Wooi Yik were selected for the Thomas Cup Finals in May this year and the duo also shocked many as they produced a creditable quarter-final finish at the World Championships in Nanjing, China, last month.
They stunned experienced Danish pair Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark 21-18, 21-16 in the third round before losing to current world No. 3 pair Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen in the quarters.
“We are close friends but in Sukma, we had to fight each other, but we know it is all for the love of the game.”
For Ee Wei, she was still in a state of shock after winning a double.
“I’m really very tired having to play two finals but I’m really happy and still in disbelief,” said Ee Wei.
“Mentally I had to be strong because the body was tired. And this double victory would not have been possible if not for the support and communication with my partner,” added Ee Wei, whose eyes are now set on the World Junior Championships in Canada in November.
Meanwhile, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin of Selangor’s gallant run ended when he lost 16-21, 19-21 to Tan Jia Wei of Penang in the boys’ singles final.