Malaysia's 34-year wait for sepak takraw team regu title goes on
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's 34-year wait for a sepak takraw team regu title continues after they fell 2-0 to arch-rivals Thailand in the Asian Cup final on Sunday.
The first regu, featuring striker Azlan Alias, tekong Syahir Rosdi and feeder Amirul Zazwan Amir, put up a brave fight but were edged by Thailand's Sutthikiarat Panseankaew, Jakkrit Thinbangbon and Wuttinun Kamsanor in a thrilling opener, losing 15-11, 12-15, 17-15.
With 2,000 home supporters watching at Titiwangsa Stadium, all eyes turned to Malaysia's second regu.
Thailand sent out their strongest line-up — Tanaphon Sapyen, Sittipong Kamchan and Sirisak Anuloon — to face Noraizat Nordin, Haziq Hairul Nizam and Farhan Adam.
The Malaysians started well, winning the first game 15-13, but the Thais fought back, taking the next two games 15-13 and 15-4 to clinch the victory and the Asian Cup crown.
Malaysia last beat Thailand in a team regu event at the 1991 Ssea Games in Manila, where they won gold with a 2-1 win over the War Elephants.
Despite the defeat, Malaysia can be proud of their overall showing at the Asian Cup, finishing with two gold medals (quadrant and regu) and two silvers (doubles and team regu).
The national team's next test will be the prestigious Thai King's Cup in July.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Kuching marathon to showcase capital's colonial and cultural charm
THE 10th edition of the Kuching Marathon (KM2025), scheduled for Sept 21, will offer participants an illuminating journey through Kuching's rich cultural and colonial heritage. Sarawak Youth, Sports and Enterpreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said KM2025 aims to strengthen Kuching's presence on the world map by promoting the city as a hub for sports, recreation and tourism, while fostering a healthy lifestyle. 'Among the highlights of this year's edition is the improved 42km full marathon race route, offering runners a more scenic course. 'For the first time, all participants who complete their race within the cut-off time, including those in the 10km and 5km categories, will receive a finisher's T-shirt. 'This is in addition to the event T-shirt and a specially designed finisher's medal,' he told Bernama. Abdul Karim said to date, KM2025 has attracted a total of 7,822 registered runners, comprising 6,719 Malaysians and 1,103 international participants. He added that most of the local runners are from Sarawak, while foreign participants hail from countries like Brunei, Canada, China, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Maldives, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. KM2025 is a distance running road race event consisting of Kuching Full Marathon (42km), Kuching Half Marathon (21km), Kuching 10km run and Kuching 5km run. It is an international road race recognised by Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) as listed in the AIMS Race Calendar at
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Wei Chong gains from time on sidelines with coach Herry
Lessons learned: Man Wei Chong (left) and Tee Kai Wun will play compatriots Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi or France's Eloi Adam-Leo Rossi in the Indonesian Open second round. PETALING JAYA: Man Wei Chong may not have featured in the Singapore Open final last week, but the men's doubles shuttler still came away with invaluable lessons that could serve him well at this week's Indonesian Open. While Malaysians celebrated Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik's title-winning feat, Wei Chong quietly made his own gains after being given the rare opportunity to soak up the experience from the sidelines beside national men's doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi. It turned out to be a priceless experience for the 25-year-old, who witnessed first-hand how Herry broke down the game and delivered crucial advice to Aaron-Wooi Yik. He also had a front-row seat to observe how the Olympic bronze medallists handled the pressure during critical moments against South Korea's Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae. That brief but insightful stint on the bench could prove timely as Wei Chong reunites with partner Tee Kai Wun for the Indonesian Open, which got underway yesterday. As last year's runners-up, they made a confident start to their campaign with a commanding 21-6, 21-11 win over the United States' Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith in the opening round. 'We're happy to be back at Istora Senayan and we hope to do well in this tournament,' said Wei Chong in an interview with BWF. They have also put behind them their title-winning run at the Malaysian Masters two weeks ago, where they edged Aaron-Wooi Yik in a hard-fought final. 'I think the Malaysian Masters is behind us. This is a new week, and we need to keep learning from the top players. Hopefully, we can put in a strong performance,' he added. Awaiting them in the second round are either compatriots Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi or France's Eloi Adam-Leo Rossi, who will square off in another first-round clash.
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
Harimau Malaya go down 3-0 to Cape Verde in a closed-door friendly
PETALING JAYA: African nation Cape Verde showed why they are world No. 72 in world football after beating Malaysia 3-0 in a closed-door friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3). Striker Dailon Livramento, who plies his trade for Serie A club Hellas Verona, was the hero, scoring two goals in the 35th and 48th minutes. The other goal was scored by Heriberto Tavares in the 55th minute. Tavares also plays in Europe for Israeli club Maccabi Netanya. In their earlier encounter at the Cheras Football Stadium on May 29, both sides shared the spoils, drawing 1-1. Malaysia are playing these friendlies to prepare for the all-important 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifying encounter against Vietnam at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on June 10.
