Javen Choong (right) and Chin Wen Jie pump their fists in jubilation after their narrow 3-2 win over Thailand’s Yannapong Panagitgun and Varote Shotelersuk in the Boys U15 doubles final at the SEA Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships at OCM Hall in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
KUCHING: Malaysia captured its first gold medal at the South-east Asia (SEA) Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships at OCM Hall in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday through the Boys U15 doubles pair of Javen Choong and Chin Wen Jie.
This brings the country’s haul to one gold, one silver and three bronzes so far, with only the singles competition to play.
In Saturday’s final against Thailand’s Yannapong Panagitgun and Varote Shotelersuk, Javen-Chin lost the first set 8-11 but won the next two 11-6 and 11-4 for a 2-1 lead. But the Thais drew level with a 11-9 win in the fourth set.
The fifth set decider saw the Malaysians win 11-6 to snatch a narrow victory and avenged their 0-3 loss to the Thai pair in the team final on Friday.
Malaysia’s silver medal was delivered by Gabriel Ling Kerk Yu, Javen Choong and Chin Wen Jie after they lost 0-3 to Thailand in the Boys U15 team final.
The bronze medals were won by the Boys U18 and Girls U18 teams who beat Vietnam teams 3-0 in the play-off matches for third and fourth place.
The Girls U15 team also collected a bronze after losing 0-3 to Singapore in the semi-finals.