INCHEON, Sept 26 — As expected, the mission of the national men’s sepak takraw squad to overcome traditional foe Thailand turned out to be an impossible task.
National coach Jamaluddin Hassan’s proteges lost 0-2 at the semi-final competition of the 17th Sea Games at the Bucheon Gymnasium near here today.
The failure is an abject disappointment to Malaysian sepak takraw fans who have been enduring a 24-year gold medal drought.
Malaysia last won a gold at the Beijing edition in China in 1990.
The national men’s sepak takraw team failed to defend the silver medal – won at the 16th Asia Games in Guangzhou, China — when officially, it only won the bronze medal in the current edition.
The squad fared poorly from the start when the nation’s first regu of Mohd Zamree Mohd Dahan, Mohammad Syahir Mohd Rosdi and Mohd Syazreenqama Salehan lost 0-2 (21-16, 21-10) to the Thai regu of Chaichana Anuwat/Khamchan Sittipong/Yupadee Pattarapong in 41 minutes.
The effort of the second regu to equalise did not materialise when Mohamad Fadzli Muhammad Roslan (Ahmad Aizat Mohd Nor Azmi)/Izurin Refin/Mohd Muqlis Borhan failed to check the speedy Thai regu of Aokaew Pornchai/Sakha Siriwat/Peachan Suriyan when it lost 0-2 ( 21-14, 21-11) in 39 minutes.
Jamaluddin said his players had gone all out to overcome the ‘white elephant’ teams but Thailand just had too many advantages, especially in service.
Commenting on the match, he reporters here today that he was unhappy with the starting services by the first tekong, Mohd Syazreenqama Salehan who opened
many opportunities to Thailand which collected eight points from his mistakes.
He also expressed disappointment at the national second regu which made a lot of mistakes, giving Thailand the opportunity to win points.
Jamaluddin said his focus after this was to spruce up the inter-regu players to face the Group B competitions with South Korea, Brunei, India and Nepal. — Bernama
