From Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif
JINHUA (China), Sept 29 (NNN-Bernama) — The Malaysian sepak takraw squad failed in their bid to end Thailand’s 25-year dominance in the men’s team event after going down tamely in the final of the Hangzhou Asian Games 2022 here Friday.
Thailand’s excellence by virtue of being the world champions was evident at the Jinhua Gymnasium Sports Centre, about 170 kilometres from Hangzhou City, when they strolled to a 2-0 win and their seventh consecutive gold since the 1998 edition in Bangkok.
Malaysia, on the other hand, had to play the bridesmaid’s role once again to settle for the silver, which they also won in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang edition in Jakarta.
Thailand, fielding many of their experienced players, secured their first point through the trio of Pichet Pansan, Wichan Temkort and Sittipong Khamchan, who easily defeated Malaysia’s regu of Muhammad Noraizat Mohd Nordin, Farhan Adam and Muhammad Haziq Hairul Nizam, 21-15, 21-14.
Malaysia had no choice but to count on its second regu of Mohamad Azlan Alias, Amirul Zazwan Amir and Mohammad Syahir Mohd Rosdi to pull back a point and drag the tie to a decider, but that turned out to be wishful thinking.
They were beaten 13-21, 18-21 by the trio of Varayut Jantarasena, Pattarapong Yupadee and Siriwat Sakha to settle the final.
The bronze was jointly won by losing semifinalists South Korea and Laos.
The Malaysian men’s team have only won the Asian Games sepak takraw gold once, when the sport was contested for the first time in the 1990 edition in Beijing, China.
However, all is not lost for the squad as they can still make amends when the men’s regu event kicks off on Thursday.
Malaysia won the men’s regu in the 2018 edition. Thailand did not participate in the regu event that year.
Meanwhile, Thailand made it a double gold after its women’s squad downed South Korea 2-0 in the final with Laos and Indonesia taking the joint-bronze medal.
— NNN-BERNAMA