Monday, June 8, 2015

Malaysia’s wushu team risk coming home sans gold medal

Malaysian wushu exponents (from left): Phoon Eyin and Loh Jack Chang with their silver medal; Chan Lu Yi and Aggie Cheah with the bronze. - S.S.KANESAN/ The STAR
Malaysian wushu exponents (from left): Phoon Eyin and Loh Jack Chang with their silver medal; Chan Lu Yi and Aggie Cheah with the bronze. - S.S.KANESAN/ The STAR

SINGAPORE: It’s almost unthinkable.

The national wushu team are staring at a possibility of ending their SEA Games campaign without a single gold medal for the first time in 10 years.

The last time Malaysia, regarded as one of the kingpins on the international stage, headed home without a single title was at the Manila Games in 2005.

On Sunday, Malaysia could only add four more medals - two silvers from Loh Jack Chang in the men's taijiquan and Phoon Eyin (women's jianshu) and two bronze through Chan Lu Yi (women's taijijian) and debutant Aggie Cheah (women's jianshu) to bring their tally to three silvers and two bronze.


Lu Yi, who also clinched a silver in the women's taijiquan compulsory discipline, was the only contributor on the opening day on Saturday.

The biggest disappointment was perhaps the failure of the world champion trios - Diana Bong, Tai Cheau Xuen and Ho Mun Hua. They failed to impress in the nanquan's events, which Malaysia are traditionally strong in.

Mun Hua could only finish fifth in the men's nanquan and nandao all-round while Diana and Cheau Xuen, who are also former SEA Games champions, ended their campaigns in fourth and seventh.

Having yet to taste success at the Singapore EXPO Hall 2 after two days, there's certainly cause for concern for the Malaysian camp who went to Singapore aiming for at least two gold medals.

The three-day competition ends on Monday with seven gold medals on offer and Malaysia will be hoping to salvage at least one.

Malaysia are pinning their hopes on Eyin to defend her qiangshu's title, while Jack Chang, a silver medallist at the 2009 World Championships, is the best bet in the men's taijiquan and taijiquan compulsory disciplines.

The Star Online

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