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.

Read more: SEA GAMES: Surprise gold for Cheau Xuen, Kevan - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-surprise-gold-for-cheau-xuen-kevan-1.8829#ixzz1eJTJC0Af