Malaysia and Indonesia share badminton spoils on exciting final day
Malaysia and Indonesia shared the spoils at the Indoor Stadium badminton court on Tuesday, winning two golds a piece out of the five on offer.
Proceedings went down to the wire on the final day of action, which was capped off with the mixed doubles final.
In a three-set thriller, Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying and Indonesia’s Praveen Jordan and Debby Susanto put on a badminton spectacle which saw the Indonesians edged out their opponents in the last set.
Their 18-21, 21-13, 25-23 victory put Indonesia at the top of the badminton medal table with three gold, two silvers and four bronzes.
Malaysia followed closely behind with two gold medals, four silver and two bronze.
Indonesia's other gold medal of the day came from Ricky Karanda Suwardi and Angga Pratama in the men's doubles as they powered past their fellow countrymen Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.
Indonesia's Angga Pratama (left) and Ricky Karandasuwardi. PHOTO: SINGSOC / REUTERS VIA ACTION IMAGES
Despite a stern test from their compatriots, the 2015 Singapore Open champions overcame an eight-point deficit in the second set before staving off a spirited fight-back to seal the gold with a 21-12, 24-22 win.
It was an all-Malaysian affair in two of three remaining finals of the day.
In the men's singles, Chong Wei Feng, who dethroned defending champion Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk in the semi-finals, was irresistible as he crushed Mohamad Arif Abdul Latif 21-8, 21-9.
Sabahans Amelia Anscelly and Soong Fie Cho then provided the biggest upset of the day in the women's doubles by beating Malaysia’s number one pairing Vivian Hoo and Woon Khe Wei for a second time this year.
Soong and Anscelly in action. PHOTO: SINGSOC / REUTERS VIA ACTION IMAGES
World No. 11 pair Hoo and Woon were stunned as Anscelly and Soong took the match 21-18, 21-13 to win their first ever SEA Games gold.
Thailand picked up the last gold medal in the women’s singles with Busanan Ongbumrungpan surviving an early second set scare to dominate Indonesian shuttler Hanna Ramadini.
The 19-year-old Thai, who currently ranks 18th in the world, clinched the gold medal with a 21-17, 21-12 victory.
Read the full report in our print edition on June 17.
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