Quick reflexes: Penang’s Mohd Nabil Naufal Mohd Fuad blocking a shot from Selangor’s Mohd Shahrain Zameer Shamsuddin during the final match. — Bernama
THEY are newcomers and came to gain as much as experience as possible.
But Penang’s sepak takraw team, powered mostly by first-timers, did the unthinkable by ending a 20-year wait for a Malaysia Games (Sukma) gold medal by beating Selangor 2-0 in a nail-biting final at the Muhibbah Stadium yesterday.
With only one player with the experience of having competed in the Sukma, Penang’s Regu A, led by Danial Iman Hasbullah, defeated Selangor 15-6, 15-9. Then Regu B, captained by Jefri Ahmad, stepped up to seal the win with a 15-11, 15-12 win.
Penang’s head coach Fazil Mohd Asri was over the moon with the win.
“I am so proud of our 13 young players in the team who performed really well,” said Fazil.
“Among them, only one player has had the experience of competing at the last edition of Sukma.
“They have been training since they were younger and we have a structured programme under the Penang Sports Council to guide them to this level.
“It has been a long journey but it’s worth it.”
Terengganu settled for third place after defeating Melaka 2-1 in the bronze medal match.
Meanwhile, the girl’s event was won by Sabah, who also boasted a line-up of fresh faces that showcased their talent.
Sabah won the gold medal in the team event after defeating hosts Sarawak 3-0 on Friday.
Sabah dominated in all three matches, although the third match was a mere formality.
They won 15-8, 15-11 in the first game, 15-9, 15-9 in the second match, and 15-6, 15-7 in the final match.
The girls’ team managed to defend their gold medal won at the 2022 Sukma held in Kuala Lumpur.
Sabah Sepak Takraw Association president Roslie Ibrahim said the team put on a good show to win the gold medal, even though they had a mixture of experienced and new players.
“Some players have not competed in the Sukma before, but have trained hard. Some players have had experience and even played with the national team,” he said.
Perak took the bronze medal after a 2-1 win over Selangor in the third-placing match.
