MALAYSIA’s deaf athletes have delivered an early National Day celebration by becoming overall champions at the Southeast Asian Deaf Games with a record-breaking 25 gold medals.
The historic achievement came with six days remaining before Malaysia’s 68th National Day, marking a glorious sporting triumph for the contingent.
Bowling star Siw Sing Hie secured the final gold medal by winning the Women’s Masters event with an impressive total of 1,491 pins.
Malaysia’s 80 athletes and officials claimed 10 gold medals in athletics, eight in bowling, five in chess, and two in badminton during the competition.
This remarkable performance represents a significant improvement from the 15 gold medals won during the inaugural games held in Kuala Lumpur in 2022.
The contingent exceeded their initial 16-gold target by collecting a total of 25 golds, 16 silvers, and 11 bronzes throughout the tournament.
Badminton pair Edmund Teo Seng Keong and Boon Wei Ying contributed the 16th gold medal by defeating Indonesia’s Christian Agustinus Abas and Dzakiyya Amalia Ma’ruf in a thrilling mixed doubles final.
Their 21-7, 26-24 victory at the Pulo Gadung GOR hall ensured Malaysia reached their official target ahead of schedule.
This outstanding achievement demonstrates the growing maturity and competitiveness of Malaysia’s deaf sports development programme.
The successful campaign concluded with the games’ closing ceremony held yesterday evening. – Bernama
