Drama as 13-year-old fencer comes close to gold

MIRI: Sarawak missed out on its first fencing gold medal when Sara Sofea Indongesit Warrie Okon Warrie fell 15-8 to Farhatul Jannah Abdul Rahman of Melaka in the women’s Individual Epee.

Only 13 and in her Sukma debut, the Sarawak finalist fought her injuries, nerves and opponent as the home crowd willed her to win.

She trailed 8-13 with 45secs left on the clock as her opponent confidently notched up her points. The crowd fell silent as she paused to ease her thigh with an ice pack.

But nothing could stop Farhatul from romping home to dash Sarawak’s hopes as Sara fell off.

The Sarawakian had earlier raised hopes for her band of ardent supporters at the Eastwood Golf and Country Club.

She was dominant in the semi-finals after suffering a scare, scrapping through 15-14 in the quarter-finals against Dayini Qatinah Mohd Nadzli of Negri Sembilan.

The home team eyed two golds in the run-up to the competition.

Sara steamrolled over her semi-final opponent Farhatul Jannah Abdul Rahman 15-8 drawing loud cheers for every point scored.

“Entering the finals has exceeded our expectations but she was nervous and lost to a more experienced member. It is not lack of capability or will,” said her coach Indra Jaya Kasuma.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak male foil team bowed out the Individual Foil quarter-finals.

Lady luck was not on the side of SEA Games medalist Chong Hong Li who lost by a solitary point to Selangor’s Heng Yu Shern (14-15).

In the other quarter-final duel, Chong’s teammate Natakusuma Akson fell to Federal Territory’s Goh Wen Hao who went on to pick up the silver.

He was defeated by teammate Kaerlan Vinod Kamalanathan 5-15 in the final.