Malaysia strike six more golds

MALAYSIA got off to a cracking start on Day 2 of competition in the 29th SEA Games scooping six gold with recurve archers claiming a double in the men’s and women’s team contest and Games rookie Yeap Wai Kin claiming a second gold in wushu.

With 13 of 25 gold at stake yesterday accounted for by late afternoon, the home contingent now has 22 gold to increase the distance from the rest on the medals board.

Singapore are trailing second with nine, Thailand and Vietnam with six, Indonesia five, the Philippines and Myanmar three each.

In a drama-filled day which saw a photo finish in the gruelling men’s cycling criterium road race defended by Malaysia’s Mohd Harrif Salleh, the start of squash competition was postponed following an accident involving two team buses carrying athletes from Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar.

National recurve archers were on target with the trio of Haziq Kamarud- din, Khairul Anuar Mohamad and Muhammad Akmal Nor Hasrin outclassing Thailand 5-1 to defend the men’s gold medal.

The women’s team of Nur Afisa Abdul Halil, Nur Aliya Ghapar and Nuramalia Haneesa Mazlan won by a similar margin over Indonesia.

The other three golds came from bowling and men’s trap shooting.

Mohd Harrif Salleh with support of his elder brother Mohd Zamri, defended the men’s criterium event by half a wheel with the brothers taking gold and bronze in the tactical road race in a photo finish with Thai rider Thanawut Sanikwathi all on a time of 59:35s.

Malaysia celebrated a 1-2 finish in men’s doubles bowling with Alex Liew and Muhamad Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek knocking down 2,647 pins to grab the gold to outshine silver-placed teammates Muhammad Rafiq Ismail and Adrian Ang who struck the singles gold and silver yesterday.

In wushu, debutant Wai Kin (right) continued his golden run nabbing his second gold despite an injured right shoulder. He outpointed teammate Wong Weng Son (left) in men’s qiangshu (spear) after his winning start in jianshu (sword) on Sunday.

Malaysia picked up a bronze in the women’s qiangshu through Phoon Eyin.

At the National Shooting Range in Subang, Benjamin Khor grabbed gold for Malaysia in the men’s double trap scoring 71 with the silver going to compatriot Abraham Eng with 66 and Thailand’s Temmart Sirawait settling for the bronze with 44. – Bernama