SEA GAMES: BADMINTON FALLS SHORT, SEPAK TAKRAW POISED TO CHALLENGE THAI DOMINANCE

From Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

BANGKOK, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The four-gold target set by the Badminton Association of Malaysia for the 2025 Thailand SEA Games could not be achieved after only two national pairs advanced to the finals in Pathum Thani tomorrow.

The two finalists are 2022 world men’s doubles champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and 2025 World Championships women’s doubles runners-up Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, who kept alive Malaysia’s hopes of clinching gold in matches at Gymnasium 4, Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.

Aaron-Wooi Yik had no trouble defeating Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando-Bagas Maulana 21-10, 21-12 in 33 minutes.

Awaiting Aaron-Wooi Yik in the final are Indonesian pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, who eliminated Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun 21-16, 21-17 in the other semi-final.

However, a tough task awaits the top seeds of the biennial Games as their head-to-head record is not in their favour, having lost three of their previous four meetings.

On paper, top seeds Pearly-Thinaah are also strongly favoured to clinch gold after recording three wins over their final opponents, Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Meilysa Trias Puspitasari, whom they will face tomorrow.

The world number two pair confirmed their place in the final in their SEA Games debut but were forced to work hard before overcoming fourth seeds Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum 21-14, 19-21, 21-16.

Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, the 2025 world mixed doubles champions, however, suffered disappointment after failing to reach the final, while all national singles representatives — Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh (men) and Wong Ling Ching (women) — were also eliminated at the semi-final stage.

Meanwhile, attention on the fifth day of competition tomorrow will also focus on how far the national sepak takraw squad can go in their bid to end a 34-year gold medal drought in the men’s team regu event against traditional rivals and defending champions Thailand in Nakhon Pathom, about a 90-minute journey from here.

In other developments, Malaysia added six more gold medals through national ice skater Fang Ze Zeng, the men’s T20 cricket team and judoka Amir Daniel Abdul Majeed.

The national wushu trio of Lo Ying Ting, Mandy Cebelle Chen and Sydney Chin Sy Xuan also claimed gold in the women’s Duilian event, followed by national shot putter Jonah Chang Rigan and national swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean.

This brought Malaysia’s overall medal tally to 16 gold, 15 silver and 48 bronze medals, placing the contingent fifth in the medal standings.

The host nation continued to dominate the table with 95 gold, 60 silver and 39 bronze medals, followed by Indonesia in second place (31-43-36), with Vietnam completing the top three (30-29-54).

-- BERNAMA