TWO-TIME SEA Games karate champion H. Sureeya Sankar (pic) cut a despondent figure at one corner of the stands, his left hand wrapped up in protective bandage yesterday.
Sureeya’s dream of bringing back an Asian Games was dashed after he lost 5-7 to Thai exponent Muekthong Siwakon in the second round of repechage bout in men’s below 60kg category. Earlier, the 21-year-old had beaten Hong Kong’s Chau Ha Kim on a sudden death decision in the first round of repechage.
“I did my best today to try and get into the bronze medal bout. I was just one win away from getting there but I injured my left hand while fighting the Thai exponent. I tried to control the pain and I still fought on but it was not meant to be for me in the end.
“I made a mistake and he managed to punch me in the last second.
“I am disappointed as I have been training hard. I gave my 100% but did not get the result I wanted,” said Sureeya.
Sureeya had a first round bye but went down 3-5 to Alpysbay Kaisar of Kazakhstan in the last 16 stage.
The Kazakhstan fighter went on to reach the final, thus handing Sureeya a second chance to be on the podium through the repechage rounds.
Asian championships bronze medallist Zakiah Adnan, the second Malaysian kumite exponent in action, was beaten 0-6 by Kanay Assel of Kazakhstan in the first round of the women’s below 61kg category.
Prem Kumar and P. Madhuri will carry Malaysia’s hopes to secure a first kumite medal in Hangzhou when they compete in the respective men’s below 67kg and women’s below 55kg categories today.
