32nd Sea Games: News In Brief May 4

PHNOM PENH, May 4 (Bernama) -- Following are news-in-brief items involving Malaysian athletes at the 32nd SEA Games here today:

Malaysia to battle Philippines for gold

The national obstacle race team is just one step away from securing gold, as they advance to the final in the men’s relay event at the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre car park, here.

The men’s quartet, comprising Ghalib Mohamad Azimi, Mohd Redha Rozlan, Nuur Hafis Said Alwi, and Yoong Wei Theng, clocked the fastest time with 25.6240 seconds (s) to top the chart, ahead of the Philippines (25.8566s) and Indonesia (25.8795s) in the elimination round.

The top two teams qualify for the final, while the third and fourth best will determine bronze.

Speaking to Bernama, team manager, Wong Hui Vern, praised the men’s team efforts to reach the final, as they put up an excellent performance despite having to endure some technical issues earlier.

Meanwhile, the national women’s team - Ong Sher Lyn, Renee Tan Sui Lin, Wan Athirah Hidayah Ahmad Fuzli and Yip Hui Teng - finished their challenge in third place, with 48.245s, and will face Cambodia for the bronze.

National men’s squad end winless run in ouk chaktrang

National men’s chess ouk trang players Tin Shan Wen and Nhavin Kumaresan-Eshwant Singh Anoop Singh finally won their first group matches at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

In Group A action, Shan Wen brushed aside Filipino Edmundo Oseo Gatos 1-0 in the fourth group match of the men’s 60-minute singles event while Nhavin-Eshwant subdued Chi Yang-Khonsavanh Senglek of Laos also 1-0.

Earlier today, Shan Wen lost 1-0 to Vietnam’s Thanh Ninh Vo in his third group match while Nhavin-Eshwant also went down 1-0 to the Filipino pair of Jan Emmanuel Encarnacion Garcia-Paulo Sales Bersamina.

After two draws in Group B, Chua Jia Tien recorded two wins in the women’s 60-minute singles by defeating Inthavong Maly of Laos and Cambodia’s Su Su Hlaing 1-0 respectively.

In Group A, Nur Faiqah Aminuddin beat Houanchanmone Phonesavanh of Laos 1-0 but failed to make it two wins on the trot when she fell 1-0 to Myanmar’s Soe Moe Khaing in her fourth group match.

Thailand beat Malaysia by 12 runs

Malaysia’s national women’s cricket team lost their opening Twenty20 (T20) Group B preliminary round match after going down by 12 runs to defending champions Thailand at the AZ Group Cricket Oval, here.

The Thais had 53 runs in 18.3 overs while the Malaysian women notched 41 runs in 15.3 overs.

Malaysia will meet the Philippines in their second group match on Saturday (May 6).

-- BERNAMA