MULHEIM AN DER RUHR: Women’s singles shuttler Wong Ling Ching’s bid for a finals spot ended with a semi-final exit at the 2025 Rhine-Ruhr World University Games (WUG) at the Westenergie Sporthalle here, early Saturday Malaysian time.
However, Ling Ching ensured the badminton squad did not return empty-handed, sharing the bronze medal with Ella Lin of the United States following both players’ semi-final appearances.
In the last-four clash, the 21-year-old lost 16-14, 5-15, 13-15 to Thailand’s Tidapron Kleebyeesun.
“The first set went according to plan, but in the second and third sets, my opponent changed her playing style. Overall, I lacked confidence and patience.
“I didn’t set high expectations, but after the draw, I believed I had a chance at a medal. Still, I’m disappointed as I had aimed to reach the final (after making it to the semi-finals),” she told reporters here.
Earlier, the Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah student had defeated India’s Devika Sihag 17-15, 15-11 in the quarter-finals.
The medal presentation for the women’s singles event is scheduled early Sunday (Malaysian time).
Ling Ching’s bronze is the second medal for the Malaysian contingent at WUG 2025, following national swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean’s silver in the men’s 400-metre freestyle.
Meanwhile, men’s singles shuttler Eogene Ewe missed the chance to add to the medal tally after going down 13-15, 14-16 to Ting Yen Chen of Taiwan in the quarter-finals.
Eogene admitted he was disappointed, especially after leading 14-10 in the second set and appearing poised to force a decider.
“I got a bit nervous because I really wanted to win and get a medal. It was a quarter-final match and I lacked the composure and maturity to handle the pressure,” he said.
In athletics, Wan Muhammad Fazri Wan Zahari lived up to expectations by advancing to the semi-finals of the men’s 800 metres after clocking 1 minute 49.53 seconds to finish fifth in Heat 4 at the Lohrheidestadion in Bochum.
However, in other field events, Muhammad Naufa Shahrul Afzam (men’s pole vault), Muhammad Izzul Haniff Mohd Raffi (men’s triple jump) and Ng Jing Xuan (women’s javelin) were all eliminated in the qualifying and first-round stages - BERNAMA
