History made in Asian surfing meet as Malaysian Lucas Wehle secures spot in Asian Games
He achieved the quarterfinals feat in two divisions simultaneously, cementing his place in the record books. His spot in Asian Games is based on the accumulated points he has obtained to date. Wehle's progression in the on-going regional meet in Mahabalipuram, India exceeded the expectations set by the Malaysia Surfing Association.
Wehle emerged second in both the Men's Open (Round 3) and Junior Under-18 Boys' categories that took place today.
Born in Malaysia to a Malaysian mother and a German father, but having grown up in Ericeira, about 30 minutes from Portugal's capital, Lisbon, Wehle had already set his sights on representing Malaysia - as he told Twentytwo13 last September. And when he made the cut, he told Twentytwo13 last month that donning the national colours was a "dream come true".
In the senior event, Wehle was up against experienced Filipino surfer Neil Sanchez, South Korea's Jun Seohyun, and Younus Hossen from Brunei. Wehle started strong with a 4.00, but Sanchez and Jun also posted solid scores, forcing Wehle to up his game.
He found a crucial set wave late in the heat, and executed a series of sharp turns. He was rewarded with a 5.83, pushing his total score to 9.83 and securing a dramatic second-place finish.
In the junior event, Wehle faced competitors from the Maldives, Singapore, and Lebanon. In a tactically intense heat, the Malaysian found himself in a strong position.
However, in the dying seconds, Yasin Nashid from the Maldives broke through, scoring just enough to snatch first place.
The other Malaysian surfer, Nazrin Nasruddin, was forced to slug it out against surfers from South Korea, India, and Japan in the third round of the Men's Open. Nazrin's campaign ended after finishing fourth.
Day six will see Lucas carrying the flag for Team Malaysia as the sole remaining athlete in the competition, competing in both the Open Men's and Junior Under-18 quarterfinals.
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