SEA GAMES: GOLD WITHIN GRASP FOR AARON-WOOI YIK, PEARLY-THINAAH

By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

BANGKOK, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is on the brink of winning both the men’s and women’s doubles gold medals at the 2025 South East Asian (SEA) Games after men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah booked their places in the finals of their respective events  at Gymnasium 4, Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani, today.

In today’s men’s doubles semifinal matches, 2022 world champions Aaron-Wooi Yik had little trouble setting aside Indonesians Leo Rolly Carnando-Bagas Maulana, beating them 21-10, 21-12 in 33 minutes while teammates Man Wei Chong -Tee Kai Wun lost to Indonesian duo Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 16-21, 17-21, denying Malaysia the chance of making the men’s doubles final an all-Malaysian affair.

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Wooi Yik shared that the pair’s focus was now firmly on securing a second SEA Games gold medal, having won their first in 2019 by beating Thai pair Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit.

“Gold is always our goal. We don’t say that because the pressure is really great on us, we just want to fight for the gold medal. We will do our best, we promise,” he told reporters after the match.

Meanwhile, a disappointed Wei Chong admitted they had been too cautious in the semi-final, while Kai Wun said nerves got the better of them, leading to costly errors.

In women’s doubles, top seeds Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah were stretched to the limit before prevailing over  fourth seeds Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum 21-14, 19-21, 21-16 in a gruelling one hour and 18 minutes.

Thinaah said they were relieved to have pulled through and credited the Indonesian pair for pushing them all the way to the decider, adding that her only wish heading into the final was to leave the court without regrets in their first-ever SEA Games.

Pearly, meanwhile, revealed that they would focus on recovery as they look to end Malaysia’s decade-old gold drought in the event when they play against Indonesians Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Meilysa Trias Puspitasari in tomorrow’s final.

The Indonesians had earlier brushed aside Vietnam’s Bui Bich Phuong-Vu Thi Trang 21-10, 21-9.

Meanwhile, all of Malaysia’s representatives in the singles competitions lost their semifinal matches today.

National men’s singles player and fourth seed Leong Jun Hao was stunned by unseeded Indonesian player Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah, 18-21, 13-21.

Moh. Zaki, will meet his compatriot, second-seeded Alwi Farhan, who beat another Malaysian player, Justin Hoh, 21-10, 15-21, 21-14 in the other semifinal match.

Finally, in the women’s singles, national player Wong Ling Ching put up a good fight before falling to former world champion and second seed Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, 11-21, 21-18, 17-21. 

-- BERNAMA