NATIONAL no. 1 women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah won Malaysia’s seventh gold, capping Malaysia’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign.

In their first-ever Games, the duo were in scintillating form, trouncing England’s Chloe Birch-Lauren Smith 21-5, 21-8.

The deafening cheers from the home crowd in the National Exhibition Centre Hall 5 did nothing to rattle Tan and Thinaah, who were simply in their element in the opening game to outplay the English duo 21-5.

Tan-Thinaah continued their crackling performance, including a delicate back-hand return by Thinaah and a flurry of fiery smashes, to rake up the points and seal the gold medal with a 21-8 win in just 33 minutes.

The world no. 11 then punched the air in delight before going over to hug Badminton Association of Malaysia doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky to celebrate their first ever individual gold in the Games.

Thanks to the heroics of Tan-Thinaah, Malaysia has now surpassed their six-gold target for Birmingham 2022, equalling the seven-gold achievement at the 2018 edition in Gold Coast, Australia.

Earlier, top national men’s singles ace Ng Tze Yong went down fighting 21-19, 9-21, 16-21 to India’s Lakshya Sen in the final.

Apart from Tan-Thinaah’s gold and Ng’s silver today, the national badminton squad had won their first gold with a 3-1 win over India in the mixed team final last Tuesday.

Malaysian shuttlers also chipped in with two bronze medals yesterday through Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the men’s doubles and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing in mixed doubles.

Chia-Soh were taken to the limit by compatriots Tan-Chan Peng Soon 21-19, 11-21, 21-11 in the men’s doubles third-placing match.

Tan-Lai, meanwhile, downed Scotland’s Adam Hall-Julie Macpherson 21-15, 21-17 to take home the mixed doubles bronze.

As such, the national contingent capped their Birmingham 2022 campaign with seven golds, eight silvers and eight bronzes.

The closing ceremony of the 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games will be held at the Alexander Stadium, Perry Barr, at 8pm. – Bernama, August 8, 2022.