Karate newcomers San Hong and Yee Voon to lead SEA Games charge

PETALING JAYA: Karate exponents Ooi San Hong and Khaw Yee Voon carry Malaysia’s hopes of upholding the country’s good record in the individual kata (non sparring) discipline at the upcoming SEA Games in the Philippines – but it will be easier said than done.

“The SEA Games is taking place outside Malaysia and it will be hard to predict our chances as this is a subjective sport,” said coach Ku Jin Keat.

“We have taken the option to expose younger exponents.

“We are optimistic of winning medals in the individual and team events but we are not sure of the colour.”

With youth in mind, the 19-year-old San Hong was chosen for the men’s individual over 2014 Asian Games gold medallist Lim Chee Wei.

San Hong is also on a hot streak, having won a bronze medal in the Under-21 category at the World Junior Karate Championships in Santiago, Chile, last month.

The 28-year-old Chee Wei has also been excluded from the men’s team event as it will be made up of San Hong, Ivan Oh and Hoe Thomson.

The trio have been consistent performers, having taken silver twice in this event behind Japan at last year’s Asian Karate Championships in Jordan and this year’s edition in Uzbekistan in July.

Yee Voon, 24, has been chosen for the women’s individual kata event replacing 2018 Asian Championships silver medallist Celine Lee Xin Yi.

The 25-year-old Celine will still compete in the women’s team event with Yee Voon and Chang Sin Yi.

It will be a tall order for San Hong and Yee Voon to take over responsibilities from Chee Wei and Celine, both gold medallists in the individual kata when Malaysia last hosted the Games two years ago.

Celine also won bronze in the team kata in the Myanmar SEA Games in 2013 but did not feature in KL two years ago. Karate was not held in the Singapore SEA Games in 2015. The kata exponents are all based in Penang.

The coach admitted that San Hong and Yee Voon face a tough challenge to defend the gold medals.

“It all depends on the performance on the day.

“Indonesia and Vietnam will be our main rivals again but I think the threat from Philippines cannot be discounted as they are the hosts.” said Jin Keat, who won the gold at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou in individual kata before turning to coaching.

At the KL SEA Games, Malaysia bagged three of the four gold medals in kata.

Malaysia also won the men’s team gold through Chee Wei, Emmanuel Leong and Hoe while the women’s kata team of Celine, Ariana Lim and Cherlene Cheung took silver behind Vietnam.

Lim Lee Lee is the team’s other coach.