Tough draw a bane for our cueists

MALAYSIA have never won a medall in pool. And the trend is set to continuee at the KL Games, no thanks to the tou ugh draw their cueists have been given in the early stages.

The pool events start on Tuesday at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), with the Malaysians springing into action in the morning.

Seventeen-year-old Chia Soo Yew will team up with 56-year-old Ibrahim Amir in the 9-ball pool doubles while 18-year-old Mohd Almie Yakup will compete in the singles.

In the women’s 9-ball singles, Malaysia will be represented by Klaudia Djajalie and Suhana Dewi.

But the Malaysians will find the going tough.

Soo Yew-Ibrahim will face favourites the Philippines in the men’s doubles quarter-finals. The men’s doubles will start from the qquarter-final stage as only eight countries are taking part.

Soo Yew admitted that it would be tough against the Philippines “as they are very good in the event”.

“Since this is my SEA Games debut, I hope to put up a good fight. My partner Ibrahim is an experienced pool player.

“We are not setting any targets as we have not won any medals in the pool competition,” he said.

Soo Yew does not expect any problems partnering Ibrahim as “we’ve been playing together a long time”.

In the singles preliminary rounds, Ibrahim will face Indonesian A.N. Irsal while Almie will meet Filipino Johann Chua.

In women’s singles, Klaudia will take on Bui Xuan Vang of Vietnam while Suhana will square up against M. Thandar of Myanmar.