Sukma XXI: Sarawak wins first gold for fencing

MIRI (Aug 22): Sarawak won its first gold medal in Men’s Foil Team event after the Federal Territories (FT) team conceded a walkover in the finals, while the Women Epee Team won a silver on the second last day of competition of Malaysia Games (Sukma) XXI fencing events today.

FT Men’s team withdrew after a protest by Sarawak over its third fencer uniform in the final.

Sarawak started brightly by leading in the first two duels in the Men Foil finals.

Chang Kai Yong gave a 5-3 lead while Chong Hong Li charged ahead to 10-5 before handing over the baton to Chong Ting Jing.

Ting Jing was ready to go when the competition was stopped by the referee upon advice by competition technical committee officials, leaving Akson Hydeer Natakusuma not having the chance to participate.

After a tense 15-minutes wait, the FT players gathered and resolved to concede a walk-over while the decision from the technical committee was yet to be announced.
Selangor meanwhile won the bronze.

Sarawak Tourism Board chairman and Adun Telang Usan Datuk Dennis Ngau presented the medals to the winners but FT sent their women’s team to collect the silver medal.

The controversy was surprising as the FT boasts national fencers in its team and was the favourite to win the gold in Sukma XXI.

En route to the finals, Sarawak beat Terengganu 45-32 in the semi-finals, delighting the vociferous home crowd which was already pumped by its 45-23 victory over Sabah in the quarter finals.

FT beat Selangor 45-27 in the other semi-finals and we’re eyeing for another gold.

Sarawak team manager Mohd Azmi Zakaria regretted that the finals ended in an anti-climax and would have preferred it to continue.

He, however, pointed out that the protest was lodged after he found discrepancy in the fencing suit and there are rules to follow.

“The name displayed on the suit was different from the name of the player. The Sukma rule is very clear on this when I checked.

“We even allow them time to find the suit with their fencer’s name on it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sarawak women fencers lost to Terengganu in the bronze medal match while FT team beat Selangor for the gold in the finals in the Foil team event.

However, Sarawak beat Terengganu 45-38 in the Women Epee Team event to enter the final for a shot at the second gold.

The finals, which took place just minutes later, took a toll, and Johor led all the way in the finals as a jaded Sarawak was unable to keep up with the pace and precision of its opponent.

Johor led with 45-37 to take gold while bronze went to FT.