PHNOM PENH: The national contingent failed to improve its position in the medal table despite adding six gold medals on the fifth day of the 2023 SEA Games here yesterday.
The six gold haul, the best so far this time around, saw the national contingent remain in seventh place with a total of 21 gold, 22 silver and 42 bronze.
The silat squad emerged as the best contributors with three gold medals through Norsyakirah Muksin in the Putri under-45kg category, Nor Farah Mazlan (Putri 45-50kg) and Muhammad Izzul Irfan Marzuki (Putra 60-65kg).
The other three gold medals came from diver Lee Yiat Qing in the women’s 10m platform event, wushu exponent Tan Cheong Min (women’s nanquan) and golfer Ng Jing Xuen in the women’s individual event.
Malaysia also added seven silver and 10 bronze medals.
Vietnam currently sit top of the table with 50 gold, 50 silver and 61, while hosts Cambodia are in second with 47-41-51.
Thailand, which previously led the medal tally, dropped two rungs to third place with a haul of 47 gold, 36 silver and 53 bronze.
The national contingent will see more chances to add gold to its tally on the sixth day of the Games tomorrow, among them the women’s table tennis squad who made a surprise advance to the final after 30 years in the team event.
Malaysia is scheduled to face Thailand in the final at 10 am local time (11 am Malaysian time).
Focus will also be on the men’s badminton squad, who eliminated defending champions Thailand in the team event in the semi-finals to set up a fight against Indonesia in the final tomorrow.
Golf will also be in the spotlight as the national players begin the challenge to defend the gold in the men’s team event. - Bernama
