BIRMINGHAM, Aug 6 — With three days to go before the curtains come down on the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on Monday (August 8), the national contingent are still waiting for two more gold medals to achieve their six-gold target.
On Day Eight of the quadrennial Games yesterday, Malaysia could only rake in two silver medals – one each in diving and lawn bowls.
In the pool, Gabriel Gilbert Daim-Muhammad Syafiq Puteh captured Malaysia’s first diving medal after national diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong failed to deliver the goods yesterday.
The national women’s lawn bowls trio also had to be content with a silver medal in the triples event after going down 9-17 to England in the final.
The silver more than made up for the disappointment in the national camp when gold medal prospects Siti Zalina Ahmad-Emma Firyana Saroji lost in the women’s pairs semi-finals.
Siti Zalina-Emma Firyana, however, can still bring home a medal when they take on New Zealand’s Selina Goddard-Katelyn Inch in the bronze medal playoff on Saturday (August 6).
Malaysia will be counting on several athletes to get the two much-awaited gold medals on Day Nine (August 6).
Hopes are high that Pandelela will be able to make amends for her earlier disappointment when she combines with Nur Dhabitah Sabri in the women’s 10-metre (m) platform synchronised final.
Nur Dhabitah will also be in action in the women’s 3m springboard synchronised final with Wendy Ng Yan Yee.
The national contingent will also be hoping for a stellar performance from rhythmic gymnasts Izzah Amzan (hoop and clubs), Ng Joe Ee (ball and ribbon) and Koi Sie Yan (ribbon).
Malaysia will also be hoping for paddlers Choong Javen-Karen Lyne, who are the only ones left standing, to spring a surprise when they take on Singapore’s Clarence Chew Zhe Yu-Zeng Jian in the mixed doubles semi-finals.
All eyes will also be on lawn bowler Fairul Izwan Abd Muin when he competes in the men’s singles semi-finals.
At the end of Day Eight today, Malaysia have so far raked in four golds, four silvers and three bronzes.
Australia continue to top the medal tally with 50 golds, 44 silvers and 46 bronzes, followed by hosts England (47-46-38) and Canada (19-24-24).
— Bernama
