NEW STARS: Tai Cheau Xuen and Kevan Cheah celebrate their golden feat in the women’s and men’s nandao-nangun combined event at the 26th SEA Games in Jakarta on Nov 20. — Bernama photo
Team surpassed their medal target set by the Wushu Federation of M’sia
KUCHING: Wushu has continued to live up to expectations at the 26th SEA Games by contributing three golds, three silvers and four bronzes to Malaysia’s total medal haul of 190 medals (59 golds, 50 silvers, 81 bronzes).
This achievement was better than the Laos SEA Games in 2009 where Malaysia captured three golds, one silver and three bronzes in the martial arts sport.
The Malaysian wushu team also surpassed their two-gold medal target set by the Wushu Federation of Malaysia at the games from in Indonesia from Nov 11-22.
While experienced exponents like Loh Jack Chang and Diana Bong from Sarawak failed to defend their taijiquan-taijijian and nandao-nangun titles, it was the rookies that saved the day for the national team.
Lee Yang rose to the occasion to capture the men’s taijiquan-taijijian gold while Jack Chang, who competed with a calf injury, managed a fourth placing, missing out the bronze by a mere 0.01 points.
Kevan Cheah emerged as the team’s best male exponent by bagging the gold in the men’s nandao-nangun and the bronze in the men’s nanquan.
The other gold was won by rising star Tai Cheau Xuen in the women’s nandao-nangun combined event while Diana Bong, who fumbled in the nanquan event, could only manage a bronze in the same category.
Tai also won the silver in the women’s nanquan.
The other two silvers came from Khoo Chee Zhong in the men’s nandao-nangun and Ng Shin Yii in the women’s taijiquan-taijijian.
Ong Shi Chuan (men’s daoshu-gunshu) and Pei Pin Tang (women’s sanshou) were the other two bronze medallists.
Wushu Lion and Dragon Dance Federation of Sarawak (WFS) secretary James Ting said yesterday that by comparison, Loh and Bong were more experienced and better in skill than Yeap and Tai.
Loh was the gold medallist in the taijiquan and taijijian combined in Laos while Bong was the gold medallist in taolu (nanquan and nandao combined).
Ting, also WFS chief coach and state development chairman, said committing errors was every exponent’s nightmare and they have proven to be very costly.
“In top level competitions such as SEA Games, Asia Wushu Championship and World Wushu Championship, there is no room for errors and the exponents score low points because points are deducted for errors during the routine,” he explained.
However, Ting believed that the exponents should be better prepared mentally as they will be under immense pressure to do well in the competitions.
“Win or lose, it is a lesson that every athlete need to learn. They also need to have more exposure to gain experience,” he added.