Asian Games: Malaysia Fail To Crack Thailand's Domination In Sepak Takraw

From Zulhilmi Supaat

GUANGZHOU, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- After failing to wrest the gold medal from defending champions Thailand in the sepak takraw team event in the 16th Asian Games here Saturday, the national sepak takraw squad are now shifting their attention to the inter-regu event which starts Monday.

National sepak takraw coach Iskandar Arshad said Malaysia would be fielding a team in the inter-regu event which would be made up of players from the two "regus" in the team event.

"Our gold target is actually in the inter-regu event. This is based on the squad's performance at the last Asian Games in Doha in 2006 where they captured the silver," he said when approached by reporters at the Haizhu Sports Centre, near here.

In the team event final Saturday, Malaysia had to settle for the silver after losing 0-2 to the Thais while the bronze was shared by Japan and South Korea, the losing semifinalists on Friday.

Iskandar said the inter-regu squad consisted of tekongs Mohd Normanizam Ahmad and Noor Azman Abdul Hamid, two 'apit kanan' (killers) Mohd Futra Abd Ghani and Norshahruddin Mad Ghani and one 'apit kiri' (feeder), Farhan Adam.

The last time, Malaysia and Thailand met in a final in the team event was at the Laos SEA Games in 2009 where Thailand also took the gold with the same result.

In Saturday's final, Malaysia's main regu of Mohd Normanizam Ahmad, Ariff Ramli, Mohd Futra Abd Ghani lost to Thais Anuwat Chaichana, Kriangkrai Kaewmian, Pattarapong Yupadee 16-21, 10-21.

After putting up a good fight in the first set, the Malaysians lost steam in the second and went out tamely.

Malaysia's second regu of Norshahruddin Mad Ghani, Noor Azman Abdul Hamid, Farhan Adam tried to make amends but they too were outclassed by Pornchai Kaokaew, Sirwat Sakha, Suriyan Peachan and lost in 15-21, 17-21.

Team manager Datuk Awang Sham Amit admitted that Malaysia still had a lot of "catching up" to do to match the Thais.

-- BERNAMA