Sarawak Archers Win Men’s Recurve Team Gold Despite Training Together For Just A month

KUCHING, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak men’s recurve archery trio only trained together for a month but that didn’t stop them from hitting the bull’s-eye for the men’s team gold medal at the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) at the Petra Jaya Archery Range here.

The home team’s trio of Isaac Ann Zhe Ting, Liew Yu Jie and Melvin Tieh Xuan Ruey made a mockery of their short training period to defeat Pahang ((A'zat Faris Fathullah Azrul, Muhammad Amirul Haziq Mohd Rashiddin and Muhammad Haiqal Danish Syamsul Affandi) 5-1 in the final today.

Meanwhile, Johor’s Muhammad Akid Bazli Ezaidin, Muhammad Danish Amsyar Norazlan and Wan Qayyim Syahmi Wan Mahathir beat Alif Danish Kamal Ariffin, Aqeell Huzairee Fitree Ahmad Fitri and Shazremil Hariz Ahmad Hafiz of the Federal Territories (FT) 5-1 in the third placing playoff.

“I am delighted… this is the first time winning a medal in SUKMA. We gave 100 per cent in training and during the match, we stayed focused right until the last arrow. Playing on home ground also boosted our spirit to deliver the gold medal,” said Melvin Tieh, 19.

Sarawak coach Jeffery Low Wei Loon said although the trio only underwent centralised training together for a month, they gave a high-level of commitment to excel in the biennial Games.

The Penang-born coach also praised them for their fighting spirit, which gave them the edge over the other teams that had national backup archers.

Meanwhile, the Kedah recurve archery trio of Ku Nurin Afiqah Ku Ruzaini, Nur Auni Aqilah Andri and Nur Auni Firdina Wafiqah Noor Azlan defeated the Selangor trio of  Nur Arissa Najlaa Fadzil Fairuz, Nur Ieka Hariesya Zainal Habsahli and Tengku Aisyah Rohani Tengku Jamal Abdul Nassier 5-1 for the gold medal.

National player Ku Nurin, 18, said although they are not a seeded team, she is pleased to see her team performing well consistently.

“We just focused on winning, irrespective of who is our opponent. The women’s challenge here was fantastic, with some teams having national players. We had to be mentally strong and not easily give up.

“Although my teammates are newcomers, we combined well...and that’s what probably got us the gold,” she said.

Kedah coach Fairuz SM Rahim attributed her team’s unexpected victory to the archers’ high degree of commitment and discipline.

The women’s team bronze medal went to Perak’s Auni Batrisya Humaira Mohamad Hamiddun, Maira Adriana Enolil Dzulfiqa Enolil and Nur Safiyyah Zaini, who defeated Johor’s Nurin Iman Mohamed Sham, Nurul Ain Fitri Ramli and Zatty Ain Ashiqin Zaimy in a shootoff after they were tied at 4-4.

-- BERNAMA