THE Malaysian contingent ended the eighth day of the 2023 SEA Games without winning a single gold medal and had to console themselves with a solitary silver and 12 bronze medals.

The silver medal was won in the 250m 12-crew men’s open traditional boat race. Traditional boat racing also contributed a bronze in the 250m three-crew (U24) women’s event as well.

Other Malaysian bronze medallists yesterday included cyclist Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir (women’s elite mass start), fencers Cheng Xing Han and Hans Yoong Wei Shen (men’s individual foil), taekwondo exponents Sebastian Tan Chun Wan and Muhammad Luqman Haqim Mohd Suhaimi (men’s kyorugi under 54kg and under 87kg), boxers Indran Rama Krishan and Mohd Abdul Qayyum Arifin (86kg and 51kg), as well as Koay Hao Sheng-Mitsuki Leong Wei Kang (men’s doubles table tennis).

In addition, the women’s golf, women’s cricket and women’s sepak takraw doubles teams all won bronze medals.

With the lacklustre showing yesterday, Malaysia was still placed seventh in the overall standings, with 28 gold, 37 silver and 71 bronze medals. Four days remain before the Games end on May 17, and the contingent faces the Herculean task of meeting the set goal of 40 gold medals even though they have passed the halfway mark at this point in time.

This is because sports with gold medal prospects, such as athletics, karate, silat and diving have ended. The focus now falls on events such as hockey, badminton, sepak takraw and weightlifting.

The top three countries remain the same after the eighth day of competition, with Vietnam having 85 gold, 77 silver and 86 bronze, followed by Thailand with 78-52-75, and hosts Cambodia third with 59-53-79. – Bernama, May 14, 2023.