PHNOM PENH, May 1 — The national men’s ouk chaktrang (Khmer chess) team failed to shine when they lost in their first two Group A matches for the 2023 South-east Asian (SEA) Games trio 60-minute event in Phnom Penh, Cambodia today.
Nhavin Kumaresan-Eshwant Singh Anoop Singh-Tin Shan Wen lost in their debut match against Thailand’s Warot Kananub-Wisuwat Teerapabpaisit-Worathep Timsri 0-1 in the morning session at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
They also lost their second match 0-1 against Darwin Rosales Laylo-Eugene Oliveros Torre-Rogelio Madrigal Antonio of the Philippines in the afternoon session.
Meanwhile, Malaysians Chua Jia Tien-Nur Faiqah Aminuddin raked up their first win in the women’s doubles 60-minute event, beating Loatians Houanchanmone Phonesavanh-Inthavong Maly, 1-0 in the third round but fell short against Hong An Ton-Thanh Phuong Thao Pham of Vietnam, losing 0-1 in the fourth round.
The pair had opened their SEA Games campaign with a 0.5-0.5 draw against Thai pair Sarocha Chuemsakul-Sirikan Sukpancharoen before losing to Janelle Mae Bermas Frayna-Shania Mae Garcia Mendoza in the second round.
The men’s trio and women’s doubles teams will continue their campaign tomorrow against hosts Cambodia and Myanmar.
The 2023 SEA Games officially began on May 5 and will end on May 17. — Bernama
