Ice skating squad rake in five gold at KL2017
KUALA LUMPUR: The national ice skating squad ended their 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games campaign by sweeping five of the seven gold medals at stake in the sport’s debut at the biennial meet.
The team clinched three gold from four events on the last day of competition yesterday including the men’s and women’s 3,000m relay at the Ice Arena at Empire City, here.
The women’s team of Anja Chong An Ya, Ashley Chin Sook Hui, Nor Marissa Alia Ahmad Lokman and See Wan Ni clocked the fastest time in 5:14.649s to overcome three other teams.
“We work hard for this and I’m very proud that we are able to contribute another gold for the country on the last day of Sea Games. Congratulations to all my teammates,” said Anja Chong on behalf of the relay quartet after the medal presentation ceremony.
The silver and bronze went to Singapore and Indonesia respectively.
The men’s team comprising Wong De-Vin, Mohamad Ariff Rasydan Mohamad Fadzl i , Mohamad Ha z im Syahmi Shahrum and Khairil Ridhwan Khalil beat three other teams to clinch the gold in 4: 31.438s.
Singapore won the silver and no bronze medal was awarded as Thailand dropped out of the race after a skater was injured while Indonesia were penalised for attacking a Singaporean athlete.
Earlier Anja Chong grabbed the women’s 1000m speed skating in 1: 48.835s for the gold while compatriot, Ashley Chin Sook Hui won the bronze with a time of 1: 49.321s.
Singapore’s Goh Cheyenne took the silver.
In the men’s category, Mohamad Hazim Syahmi Shahrum won the bronze in 1: 57.870s behind gold medalist Triphop Thongngam of Thai land and Singapore’s Lucas Ng Jun Jie who bagged the silver.
Earlier, Julian Yee contributed the first ice skating gold in the figure skating followed by Anja Chong in the women’s 500m Speed Skating.
Two more bronze medals were contributed by Chew Kai Xiang in ‘figure skating’ and Mohamad Ariff Rasydan Mohamad Fadzli (men’s 500m Speed Skating).
The squad surpassed their SEA Games target of three gold medals set by the Ice Skating Association of Malaysia ( ISAM). — Bernama