SEA GAMES: Surprise gold for Cheau Xuen, Kevan

Duo stand tall after adding to team’s tally

Tai Cheau Xuen en route to winning the nandao-nangun yesterday. - Pix by IMRAN MAKHZAN

Tai Cheau Xuen is ready to emerge from the shadows of her more established national wushu teammates to be a star in her own right after winning her maiden Sea Games gold medal in Jakarta yesterday.

Kevan Cheah showed similar promise after he led a 1-2 finish in the men's nandao-nangun combined event to take wushu's contribution to national contingent's gold medal tally to three.

Former world junior champion Cheau Xuen bested teammate Diana Bong to land the women's nandao-nangun combined gold in impressive fashion.

Cheau Xuen, 20, trailed Diana by 0.02 of a point after the nandao on Saturday but had the best score of 9.65 in the nangun yesterday for a 19.35 total as a mistake by Diana saw her post 9.25 yesterday to slip down into bronze position behind Indonesia's Dessy Indri Astuti.

Cheau Xuen also finished ahead of Diana in the nanquan on Friday when she took silver as she turned in a memorable performance.

"This is my third Sea Games but first gold medal. I'm very happy to have won gold as I was not expecting it," said the reserved Cheau Xuen, who hails from Seremban.

Team manager Lim Yew Fai did the talking for the youngster instead.

"We had targeted gold in this event but from Diana and not Cheau Xuen. Diana made a mistake in her routine but luckily Cheau Xuen was there to win it for us. She had a very good performance today (yesterday)," said Yew Fai.

Kevan, 23, took advantage of a poor performance by overnight leader Wai Phyo Aung of Myanmar to post a best score of 9.70 in the nangun to walk away with gold on a 19.41 total.

Teammate Koo Chee Zhong, 21, was only 0.02 behind while Aung took bronze with 19.17 points in the four-man field.

"I was not expecting to get it though but I performed to my best today (yesterday). I am only back-up exponent so it is a surprise to have won. Two years ago, I only managed fifth," said Kevan.

Ong Shi Chuan was forced to settle for bronze in the men's daoshu-gunshu event after totalling 19.40 points, just 0.03 behind winner Achmad Hulaefi of Indonesia.

Two more gold medals will be on offer in taolu today in the men's and women's dulian before the sanshou finals in the evening.

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SEA GAMES: Breaking 50-gold Mark

Wushu exponents and synchronised swimmers shine

Wushu exponent Kevan Cheah

Syarifah Iniani Najwa in agony after failing in her attempt in the 53kg category at the Jakabaring Sports Complex yesterday .

Malaysia surged past the 50-gold mark in the Indonesia Sea Games after winning six events yesterday.

There was no surprise gold though as Malaysians prevailed in events that the nation is known to be strong in.

Starting the day with 47 gold, the Malaysian contingent added six more to stay at fourth place overall in the medals table.

In the morning, wushu got Malaysia going by bagging two gold medals.

Kevan Cheah and Tai Cheau Xuen ensured Malaysia a steady supply of gold medals from the martial art sport by delivering a gold each in the men's and women's nandao-nangun combined event respectively.

While Kevan is another new talent emerging from the wushu stable, Cheau Xuen stole the limelight by dethroning her more illustrious compatriot Diana Bong.

Then it was the turn of the women's synchronised swimmers to sparkle with a double success.

Katrina Ann Abdul Hadi and Shareen Png Hui Chuen teamed up perfectly for the women's synchronised swimming gold.

The duo then joined forces with Tan May Mei, Mandy Yeap Mun Xin, Tasha Jane Taher Ali, Emanuelle Mah Thil Da, Ling Yeo Pei and Zyanne Lee Zhien Huey to win the free routine team gold.

In cycling, Malayia's Amir Mustafa Rusli, Harrif Salleh, Adiq Husainie Othman and Akmal Amrun became the " fantastic four" of the day when they won the team pursuit gold.

Adrian Ang won the most coveted medal in bowling when he captured the Men's Masters crown for his fourth gold medal of the Games.

Adrian's success underlined the superiority of the Malaysian team who had outclassed their rivals in almost all the events.

Read more: SEA GAMES: Breaking 50-gold mark - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-breaking-50-gold-mark-1.8851#ixzz1eJQuiubR

Cheau Xuen Lands Her First Gold Despite Suffering Toe Injury

JAKARTA: Not even a toe injury could prevent wushu exponent Tai Cheau Xuen from chalking up a personal best of 19.35 points for her first Games gold medal in the combined nandao (sword) and nangun (stick) at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan yesterday.

The former world junior champion scored 9.70 points in nandao on Saturday and 9.65 points in nangun to finish ahead of five other exponents for her second medal, having won the silver in the nanquan (bare hands).

Indonesia’s Astuti Dessy Indri won the silver with a total of 19.05 points.

National exponent Diana Bong Siong Lin, who won the silver medal in the world meet in Ankara, Turkey, last month, was favourite for the gold medal but could only manage a bronze.

Thank you, master: Malaysian wushu exponents Tai Cheau Xuen (left) and Kevan Cheah (right) kissing their coach Mao Yaqi after winning gold medals yesterday.

Diana scored the highest points in nandao (9.72) but failed to raise her performance in nangun, scoring only 9.25 for a total of 18.97 points, leaving her in tears for losing out on the gold.

Diana and Myanmar’s Mi Aint Mi were tied on the same score but the Malaysian was awarded the bronze on countback.

The day certainly belonged to 20-year-old Negri Sembilan lass Cheau Xuen, who won two gold medals in the World Junior Championships in Bali in 2009. What made her victory all the sweeter is that “everytime I moved my toe it hurt and I never expected to win the gold medal”.

“It’s difficult to focus when you are in pain. I was feeling more pain today than on the first day of competition on Friday,” said Cheah Xuen.

“But I managed to overcome the pain and I was truly surprised that I scored higher points than the other exponents in the nangun.”

Cheau Xuen made her debut in the 2007 Korat Games, winning bronze in the combined nanquan, nandao and nangun event. Two years later in Laos, she bagged a bronze again in the nandao and nangun. Cheau Xuen was surprised with Diana’s performance.

“She is an experienced exponent and was the favourite to win the gold medal after she scored the highest points in the nandao,” said Cheau Xuen, who was over the moon after winning her first gold medal in her third SEA Games outing.

“But she made a silly error in the nangun and it cost her the gold medal.” Cheau Xuen also vowed that she won’t let the pain stop her from competing in her third event – the women’s duilliean (exhibition) team contest – today.

“I will partner Kimberly (Goh) and hope to win my third medal of these Games.

“Indonesia is a good hunting ground for me as I won two golds in the World Junior Championships in Bali two years ago,” said Cheau Xuen.

SEA GAMES: Costly bad landing for Diana

An error in her routine led to defending champion Diana Bong finishing outside the medals in the women's nanquan as wushu opened its doors at the Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium in Jakarta yesterday.

Diana Bong fails to defend her nanquan title after an error in her routine yesterday.

   Tai Cheau Xuen, however, rose to the occasion despite a foot injury to grab the silver medal on 9.55 points as Indonesia's Ivana Adelia Irmanto bagged gold with 9.60 points.

Malaysia also claimed the bronze in men's nanquan through Kevan Cheah with the gold, yet again, going to an exponent from the hosts, Heryanto.

Diana, runner-up in the event at the World Championships in Ankara last month, rued the mistake in her jump, when she landed awkwardly to lose her hold on the gold medal.

"I'm disappointed I lost because I made a mistake in my jump. I lost points there and the gold medal disappeared as well," said Diana, 26.

Cheau Xuen had not trained for a week due to pain in the sole of her feet and was not expecting to land a medal.

"I just tried to do my best. Diana was the favourite in this event and I was not expecting to get a medal.

"I have two bronze medals from two previous Sea Games, so this is my best result so far," said Cheau Xuen, 20.

Malaysians are delicately poised in second places in three combined events after the first routines yesterday.

Lee Yang scored 9.70 in the men's taijiquan-taijijian to trail leader Daniel Parantac of the Philippines by 0.01 while Ng Shin Yii is 0.04 behind Indonesia's Lindswell, who leads with 9.74 in the women's event.

Ong Shi Chuan also trails an Indonesian, Achmad Hulaefi, in the men's daoshu-gunshu by 0.02 after posting a 9.69 score.

Read more: SEA GAMES: Costly bad landing for Diana - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-costly-bad-landing-for-diana-1.8052#ixzz1ePQ6BWRR

Wushu: Diana Falls Victim Again To Her Worst Fears

JAKARTA: Wushu exponent Diana Bong Siong Lin’s worst fears came true yesterday as she bungled her way out of the medal fight.

Diana had said that she only had herself to fear because she has a tendency to make silly mistakes. She did just that yesterday. The 26-year-old Kuching-born finished fifth out of eight exponents in the nanquan (bare hand) at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan because she fumbled her routine.

This is not the first time she has slipped up big time. She lost out on the gold medal at the World Cham­pionships in Ankara, Turkey, last month due to lapses in her concentration.

Yesterday, she was the first to perform and made a few more errors in her steps.

Indonesia’s Ivana Adelia Irmanto (9.60 points) took the gold medal while Malaysia’s Tai Cheau Xuen (9.55) and Brunei’s Faustina

Woo Wai Sii (9.48) took silver and bronze respectively, leaving Diana kicking herself.

“It’s my worst performance this year. Besides poor movement, I also lost points in the jump routines as I did not land well on the mat,” said a humbled Diana.

The 20-year-old Cheau Xuen said she never expected to win the thenanquan silver.

“Diana was the favourite but she surprisingly finished empty-handed. I was a bit nervous after Diana scored low points,” said the Seremban lass.

Jack Chang Hopeful Of Winning Despite Injury

JAKARTA: Loh Jack Chang aggravated a calf injury two months ago but still went on to win the silver and bronze medals in the World Wushu Championships in Ankara, Turkey, last month.

Now, however, his injury has become worse and it will be a challenge for him to retain the gold medal in the taijiquan (bare hand) event in the ongoing Games.

The 24-year-old Miri-born exponent, who won a silver in the taijiquan and bronze in taijijian (sword) in Ankara, said: “I feel a sharp pain in my right calf every time I land on the mat”. The injury is worse than it was during the world meet,” said Jack Chang after a training session at the competition venue, the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, yesterday.

“It could affect my performance. However, I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to overcome the pain and win a gold.”

Jack Chang is featuring in his third SEA Games, having returned empty-handed from his maiden outing in Korat in 2007. Two years later in Laos, he won the gold medal won in the taijiquan event.

There are 20 golds 12 in taolu (exhibition) and eight in shanshou (sparring) – at stake when the four-day wushu competition begins today.

The Malaysian Wushu Federation (MWF) have set the team a modest two-gold target although they won three in Laos.

Jack Chang, who won the silver medal in taijiquan in the Asian Championships in Macau in 2008, is also hoping that the young national wushu exponents will rise to the occasion.

“Some of them are making their debut and this is their chance to shine,” said Jack Chang, who is majoring in mechanical engineering at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Team manager Lim Yew Sai said they were only hoping to win in the taolu event “as we are not strong in shanshou”.

“We’ve only set them a two-gold target as we don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on our exponents. Besides, wushu is a subjective sport ... so anything can happen,” he said.

“Hosts Indonesia and Vietnam have good exponents and they are expected to win the bulk of the gold medals.”

Wushu Exponent Diana Fears Not Her Rivals But Herself

JAKARTA: Pint-sized wushu exponent Diana Bong Siong Lin says she fears no one but herself.

She better be because she will face the sternest test of character when she competes in front of the boisterous Indonesian fans at the Tennis Indoor Stadium today.

Little dynamite: Diana Bong Siong Lin practising her moves during a training session at the Tennis Indoor Dtadium in Senayan yesterday.

However, the 26-year-old Kuching-born exponent, who stands at only 1.49m (four feet, 11 inches), says she is fully aware of the heat Indonesian fans have been giving the Malaysian athletes.

“I’m not used to performing in a noisy environment but I’m not too concerned about it,” said Diana.

“I’m only worried about myself because I have a tendency to make silly mistakes in competition.

“I lost out on the gold medal at the World Championships in Ankara last month because of a clumsy mistake during my routine in the nanquan (freehand)”

Diana ended up with the silver instead. She only won the bronze in the nangun (stick) at the world meet because she “again made silly mistakes”.

Fumbles during her routine in the Guangzhou Asian Games last year saw her finish a disappointing fourth in the nanquan.

“I have been training hard to polish up my steps and movements.

“I hope I can perform perfectly to win my third consecutive SEA Games gold medal since Korat 2007,” said Diana, who will be competing in two events – nanquan and a combination of the nangun and nandoa (sword).

“The MWF (Malaysian Wushu Federation) are banking on me to deliver one of the two gold medals they have targeted for these Games.”

Diana expressed concern over the allegations of biased judging in the subjective martial arts sports.

“I heard that the national karate exponents were unhappy with the judging as they lost two sure gold medals to hosts Indonesia.

“It will be very frustrating if I perform well and don’t win the gold,” said Diana, who has been in the national squad since 2004.

The MWF left out three-time world champion Chai Fong Ying from the squad as they wanted to expose the juniors.

Diana, who is majoring in Human Com­munication at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), said world champion Fong Ying’s absence has put added pressure on her to deliver gold.

“I hope I can live up to expectations, especially in my pet nanquan event,” said the ever-cheerful Diana after a training session yesterday.