SEA GAMES: Khairul Helps Malaysia Clinch Gold

He may have missed out on the individual gold but Khairul Anuar Mohammad was in stellar form to help Malaysia regain the men's recurve team gold at the Senayan range yesterday.

Khairul Anuar Mohammad (left), Cheng Chu Sian (centre) and Haziq Kamaruddin beat Thailand 219-215 to win the recurve team event gold at the Senayan range yesterday.

Malaysia's 219-215 win over Thailand in the final avenged a painful loss to the same opponents in 2009 but only Cheng Chu Sian remains from the side who returned with the team silver from Vientiane.

Rookies Khairul and Haziq Kamaruddin showed they are more than a match for the more senior Chu Sian as the trio's consistency was richly rewarded.

"I'm happy to finally win gold after losing to Chu Sian in the individual final. It's not that I'm sad that I lost but it was weird as I've never before played against another Malaysian in international competition.

"I was not sure what to feel then since the gold was already Malaysia's. But I did feel I was not at my best so today (yesterday) I was determined to improve on my form.

"I performed well but I think there is still much more room to improve in my shooting. I need to strive to reach a level of consistency that I can be satisfied with," said Khairul who along with Haziq are the future of Malaysian archery.

For Chu Sian, who will be going for a third gold at these Games in the mixed recurve event today, it was payback time against Thailand's Witthaya Thamwong, Khomkrit Duangsuwa and Denchai Thepna.

"Two years ago, we lost to them in the final and this time all three of us entered the match with high determination to get the gold back.

"They were probably under more pressure to defend the gold and we were more consistent this time," said Chu Sian after the final which Malaysia led from start to finish.

Malaysia missed out on a medal in the women's recurve team after Nurul Syafiqah Hashim, Shahira Abdul Halim and Nur Amirah Mohamed were beaten by Indonesia 215-203 in the semi-finals and by Myanmar 193-192 in the shoot-off for bronze.

The men's and women's compound teams both made the finals but lost to Philippines (220-218) and Myanmar (215-199) respectively, the latter after a costly error by Nur Rizah Ishak when she shot at the wrong target in the second end.

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Triumphant Recurve Team Dedicate Gold To Coach Jae-hyung

JAKARTA: Burly Haziq Kamaruddin is the youngest archer in the team but he turned in a solid performance to help Malaysia regain their status as the best men’s archery team in the region.

On a hot and stuffy day, the 18-year-old Haziq, Cheng Chu Sian and Khairul Anuar Mohd were on fire to beat arch-rivals Thailand 219-215 in the men’s recurve team final at the Archery Range in Senayan yesterday.

Malaysia won the team title at the 2007 Korat Games but lost to Thailand in Laos two years ago.

All eyes: (from left) Khairul Anwar Mohd, Cheng Chu Sian and Haziq Kamaruddin in action in the recurve team final yesterday. Malaysia bagged the gold with a 219-215 win over Thailand.

Malaysia also won a bronze through the women’s team of Nurul Syafiqah Hashim, Shahira Abdul Halim and Nur Amirah Mohd.

The London Olympics-bound men’s team dedicated their win to Lee Jae-hyung, who was celebrating his 10th year as chief coach of the national team.

“This is for our coach. I may be new to the team but he has given me a lot of confidence to excel in the sport,” said a beaming Haziq, who is from Johor.

“I was roped into the senior squad early this year. This is my first SEA Games and I am the least experienced, but I did not give in to nerves. It feels good to be able to complement the team well.”

Chu Sian, who needed a quick massage from Jae-hyung to loosen up his stiff muscles before walking into the battleground, was overjoyed with his second gold of the Games, having pocketed the individual title two days ago.

“We did what we were supposed to do – win the team gold. We have restored our pride with this win over Thailand. I am happy that both first timers Haziq and Khairul did well,” said Chu Sian.

Chu Sian now stands a chance to become the biggest medal winner in archery when he competes in the mixed pair event with Nurul Syafiqah today.

“Honestly, we have not trained together. This is a new event in the Games. Hopefully, we will be able to complement each other well,” said Chu Sian.

Jae-hyung, who was appointed national coach on Jan 5, 2001, was beaming with pride over the men’s victory.

“I had one archer, Lim Geok Pong, on the first day of my job 10 years ago. Now, I am proud to see our archers winning glory for Malaysia. This team of men archers are the best – even better than those who qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,” he said.

“I hope they will also win medals in the Olympic Games and Asian Games.”

Malaysia have never failed to win an archery gold medal in the SEA Games since Jae-hyung’s arrival. It began with two gold medals – men’s individual and team events – at Vietnam 2003, followed by one in Manila 2005, two in Korat 2007 and one in Laos 2009.

SEA GAMES: Day Tinged With Sadness

Joy at clinching gold and silver in archery at the Sea Games in Jakarta yesterday was mixed with sadness following the demise of Paralympian archer Salam Sidik.

Cheng Chu Sian (right) and Khairul Anuar Mohammad face off in the men’s recurve individual final yesterday. Chu Sian won 6-2.

   Cheng Chu Sian completed a hat-trick of Sea Games individual gold medals with a 6-2 win over Khairul Anuar Mohammad but the win in the men's recurve individual final seemed like a mere after-thought as the two medalists paid tribute to Salam, who died in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

"I just heard about it just now," said Chu Sian immediately after the final at the Senayan archery venue. "It's so sudden and shocking.

"We never discussed archery much but we talked about other things. Salam used to come to me for advice on cameras as he's very much into them," said Chu Sian.

Khairul, making his Sea Games debut said of Salam: "I really admired his determination to succeed. It's a sad day for Malaysian archery."

Chu Sian's victory came despite a rising temperature and started badly when he lost the first set 30-26 but recovered to take the next three 28-27, 30-28, 27-26.

"My condition was not the best. I felt like I was falling sick but managed to win somehow," said Chu Sian, who has fallen behind Khairul in the world rankings list.

"I don't think I had anything to prove. As teammates, we challenge each other and this will raise the standing of Malaysian archery and help us achieve more success.

"There is no hard feelings. We are here to help the country win."

Khairul had been seeking to add the Sea Games gold to his win at the Asian Championships, silver at the Shanghai World Cup and bronze at the London Archery Classic.

"I performed like how I normally do in training. There was no tension, just some problems with my shooting," said Khairul, who added he is pleased to win a medal in his Games debut.

The Malaysian women did not fare as well with Olympic qualifier Nurul Syafiqah Hashim exiting in the first round and Shahira Abdul Halim in the quarter-finals.

Read more: SEA GAMES: Day tinged with sadness - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-day-tinged-with-sadness-1.6579#ixzz1dqGuNpNz

Chu Sian Beats Khairul In Final, Dedicates Victory To The Late Salam

JAKARTA: Top archer Cheng Chu Sian was feeling under the weather yesterday but it did not stop him from hitting the bull’s-eye for the third time in a row at the SEA Games – making him the most successful athlete in his sport in the region..

His joy, however, was overshadowed by the tragic news of the death of his friend, the wheelchair-bound Salam Sidek, who is the first Paralympic archer to qualify for next year’s London Olympic Games.

It is learnt that the 28-year-old Salam, who had won many honours in the Paralympics, had collapsed at home and was pronounced dead at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Victory anthem: Malaysia’s Cheng Chu Sian (right) and Khairul Anuar Mohd at the podium during the medal presentation ceremony in Senayan.

At the archery range, Malaysia were assured of a grand 1-2 finish in the men’s individual recurve final when the Olympic-bound Chu Sian and Khairul Anuar Mohd won their semi-final matches in contrasting fashion.

Chu Sian outclassed Thailand’s Witthaya Thamwong 6-0 while Khairul scrapped through with a 6-4 win over Vietnam’s Cuong Lee Dai.

In the final shootout on a gloomy day, which was delayed due to heavy rain and thunder, Chu Sian dropped the first three-arrow shoot before charging back in the next three ends to beat a jaded Khairul 6-2.

Chu Sian and Khairul were not aware of Salam’s death as the team management did not want them to lose focus.

When Chu Sian found out about Salam’s death after his victory, it immediately took some colour off his face.

“He was a good athlete. Both of us had the same interest in cameras.

“He used to get my advice on which was the best in the market ... my win here is for him,” said Chu Sian, who won the same event in Korat 2007 and Laos 2009.

On his reign in the Games, Chu Sian remained modest.

“I was not too well today. I felt feverish but I am happy that I managed to handle the situation well,” he said.

“Except for me, all the others in the team are first-timers in the Games. I came here just to support and encourage these youngsters.

“Khairul has done well and I am happy with the healthy rivalry that we have in the team.”

Chu Sian will also take part in the men’s team and mixed pair events but he has a better chance to lead the men’s team to a gold medal.

The Malaysian women archers – Olympic-bound Nurul Syafiqah Hashim and Shahira Abdul Halim – failed to hit the target in the women’s individual recurve event.

For the record, besides Salam’s death, the archery fraternity also lost their former officer Harun Osman during the Games in Palembang.

Said national coach Lee Jae-hyung: “The men archers did well to deliver the goods but our women first-timers were all jittery.

“This, however, will be a good experience for them.”

Archer Cheng Chu Sian Emerges Men's Individual Recurve Champion

JAKARTA: The national archery squad grabbed a gold and a silver in the all-Malaysian final of the Men's Individual Recurve category in the archery event of the ongoing SEA Games in Indonesia Tuesday.

London Olympics-bound archers, Cheng Chu Sian clinched the gold after beating compatriot Mohamad Khairul Anuar 6-2 in the final, at the Senayan Archery Range, here.

Witthaya Thamwong from Thailand took home the bronze.

In the semis, Cheng whitewashed Witthaya 6-0 while Mohamad Khairul tamed Le Dai Cuong from Vietnam 6-4.

Witthaya then beat Le 6-4 for the bronze.

Cheng, who recorded a hattrick after winning in the same category for three consecutive times since the Korat, Thailand (2007) dan Laos edition (2009), said although he was quite busy with the Olympic preparations, his participation in Indonesia was more for guidance of the young archers.

"Its good that Mohamad Khairul is catching up in the international tournament as this is his first SEA Games," he said.

Mohamad Khairul said he was quite shaky when facing his senior in the final as this was the first time both of them competed side by side in the final.

In the Women's Individual Recurve, Malaysian archers Shahira Abd Halim and Nurul Syafiqah Hashim were shown an early exit by their respective opponents in the preliminary rounds.

Shahira beat Htwe San Yu from Myanmar 6-5 in the first round but bowed out 4-6 to Erwina Safitri of Indonesia in the quarter-finals.

Nurul Syafiqah loss to Warapron Uea Aree from Thailand 2-8 in the first round. - Bernama

Drenched Chu Sian In Blistering Form As He Heads Field

JAKARTA: Not even the wet day could spoil the mood of Malaysia’s top male archer Cheng Chu Sian as he cooly qualifed for three recurve Olympic qualifying events at the Archery Field in Senayan yesterday.

The lanky Chu Sian, drenched in the downpour, topped the qualifying sheet as the leader of the 24-member pack after completing four rounds over 30m, 50m, 70m and 90m.

It enabled him to take part in the elimination rounds of the men’s individual, team and mixed pair.

In the men’s individual, he will be accompanied by Khairul Anuar Mohd. Each country is only allowed two representatives in the individual events.

Chu Sian will partner Olympics-bound Nurul SyafiqahHashim, who was the top woman ranked after the qualifying round, in the mixed pair.

Nurul will also compete in the individual event with Shahira Abdul Halim.

With such a strong cast in the field, Malaysia are looking good to go beyond their two-gold target when the elimination rounds start tomorrow.