Focused: Choong Javen (right) and Wong Qi Shen in action against Singapore’s Koen Pang Yew En-Isaac Quek Yong during the men’s doubles final. — Bernama
IT was supposed to be a day to celebrate for men’s doubles pair Choong Javen-Wong Qi Shen after becoming the first pair to reach the SEA Games final in 30 years but they weren’t.
Just hours after their great feat, they let slip a chance to win the gold after going down fighting to Koen Pang Yew En-Isaac Quek Yong of Singapore 3-11, 11-8, 8-11, 3-11 in the men’s doubles final to settle for a silver medal at the Morodok National Techno Stadium: Table Tennis Hall yesterday.
And they were ruing their missed opportunity after coming so close of winning.
The last time Malaysia reached the final was in Singapore in 1993 when the Yong Hong Cheh-Khor Kok Seong finished runners-up.
The 22-year-old Javen was visibly disappointed.
“I think I didn’t play well enough to win the title,” said Javen.
“We were too desperate to win and it prevented us from bringing our A-game out. Our strategy did not work out too.
“Our opponents had prepared very well for this match and it was hard to play them as they had better control throughout the match.
“We’re slightly slower than them. We need to work on our speed, this is an area that we need to work on.”
Javen-Qi Shen was in their top form when they secured a 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 win against Edouard Imperial Valenet-Jann Mari Martinez Nayre of the Philippines in the first round before overcoming Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Tu-Nguyen Duc Tuan 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 in the second to book their spot in the semi-finals.
Javen-Qi Shen fought hard to outplay another Singaporean pair Beh Kun Ting-Ethan Poh Shao Feng 7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 in the semi-finals before setting up a match against Koen-Isaac in the final.
The 20-year-old Qi Shen was equally heartbroken but has decided to move forward.
“I tried my best, but I think I did not bring out my best game too,” said Qi Shen.
“There was a chance to fightback but they (Koen-Isaac) had the upper hand in terms of experience.”
At the Hanoi SEA Games last year, Javen-Qi Shen won bronze in the men’s doubles event.
Meanwhile, Alice Chang Li Sian-Im Li Ying settled for bronze after finding Singaporeans Zhou Jingyi-Wong Xin Ru too hot to handle and went down 7-11, 5-11, 8-11.
