MALAYSIA'S 2012 London Olympics campaign came to an end when diver Bryan Nickson Lomas just missed out on a place in the 10m platform semi-final at the Aquatic Centre on Friday.
The nation, having experienced a high when Pandelela Rinong delivered a bronze in the women's 10 platform, would have been expecting three-time Olympian Bryan to keep the Malaysian challenge going in London but it was not to be.
Bryan, who was Malaysia's flag-bearer at the 2004 Athens Olympics at the tender age of 14, finished 19th in the preliminary round with only the top 18 divers advancing.
Bryan scored 434.95, losing out to to 18th placed American David Boudia who registered 439.15 to seal the 18th semi-final spot.
The 22-year-old's exit means Malaysia will finish the Games with a haul of one silver and one bronze - thanks to shuttler Lee Chong Wei and Pandelela.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Bronze for heroic Pandelela
MALAYSIA'S wait for an Olympic medal from other than badminton ended at the London Olympics Aquatic Centre in the early hours of Friday when diver Pandelela Rinong lived up to expectations to deliver the 10m platform bronze.
It was a magnificent medal to win, considering the pressure the 19-year-old was under after a poor first dive left her in 10th place in the 12-diver field.
Pandelela, however, heeded coach Yang Zhuliang's advise for her to remain calm and focus on her remaining dives and the Sarawakian slowly but surely pulled herself back into contention as her main challengers wilted.
In fact, had it not been for the first dive - which gave her only 58.50 points, Pandelela could have well won the silver as her final total of 359.20 points was not too far off silver medallist Brittany Broben of Australia's total of 366.50. China's Chen Ruolin was a runaway winner with 422.30.
Pandelela, however, was too excited to think about missing out on silver.
"This is a massive achievement for Malaysian diving and I am so proud of becoming the first Malaysian from outside badminton to win a medal at the Olympics for Malaysia. I can't believe it," said Pandelela.
After her first dive, Pandelela found the consistency she required as she scored 78.30, 64.00, 81.60 and 76.80. It was the fourth dive which pulled her back into reckoning and the fifth sealed her third place after Australia's Melissa Wu failed to achieve the score needed to overcome Pandelela.
"My coach told me to forget about the first dive, stay calm and focus on the remaining dives," said Pandelela, whose first thought was to call her family after fulfilling her media obligations.
"My mother, who was here, had returned home but I will call her once I find my phone."
The bronze means Pandelela has won a medal at every level, including a silver in the 10m platform at the 2010 Junior Olympics at Sydney.
It also means she will receive RM150,000 from the National Sports Council and a lifetime pension of RM2,000 monthly.
"I hope this inspires more Malaysians to take up the sport as diving can bring honour to Malaysia."
The nation certainly agrees, thanks to Pandelela.
It was a magnificent medal to win, considering the pressure the 19-year-old was under after a poor first dive left her in 10th place in the 12-diver field.
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| Pandelela is overcome with emotion after her bronze medal win was confirmed. Pix by Khairul Ghazali |
Pandelela, however, heeded coach Yang Zhuliang's advise for her to remain calm and focus on her remaining dives and the Sarawakian slowly but surely pulled herself back into contention as her main challengers wilted.
In fact, had it not been for the first dive - which gave her only 58.50 points, Pandelela could have well won the silver as her final total of 359.20 points was not too far off silver medallist Brittany Broben of Australia's total of 366.50. China's Chen Ruolin was a runaway winner with 422.30.
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| Pandelela acknowledges the Malaysians who were in the stands at the Aquatic Centre. |
Pandelela, however, was too excited to think about missing out on silver.
"This is a massive achievement for Malaysian diving and I am so proud of becoming the first Malaysian from outside badminton to win a medal at the Olympics for Malaysia. I can't believe it," said Pandelela.
After her first dive, Pandelela found the consistency she required as she scored 78.30, 64.00, 81.60 and 76.80. It was the fourth dive which pulled her back into reckoning and the fifth sealed her third place after Australia's Melissa Wu failed to achieve the score needed to overcome Pandelela.
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| Bronze but worth its weight in gold for the 19-year-old diver. |
"My coach told me to forget about the first dive, stay calm and focus on the remaining dives," said Pandelela, whose first thought was to call her family after fulfilling her media obligations.
"My mother, who was here, had returned home but I will call her once I find my phone."
The bronze means Pandelela has won a medal at every level, including a silver in the 10m platform at the 2010 Junior Olympics at Sydney.
It also means she will receive RM150,000 from the National Sports Council and a lifetime pension of RM2,000 monthly.
"I hope this inspires more Malaysians to take up the sport as diving can bring honour to Malaysia."
The nation certainly agrees, thanks to Pandelela.
Consistency the key for Pandelela in final
CONSISTENCY is needed if Pandelela Rinong is to win a medal in the London Olympics 10m platform at the Aquatic Centre later on Thursday (2am Friday Malaysian time).
The 19-year-old has a great chance, although gold looks out of reach as only a disaster will prevent China's Chen Ruolin from winning, as she finished the semi-final earlier on Thursday within touching distance of second-placed Meaghan Benfeito of Canada.
The Canadian scored 359.90 from her five dives while Pandelea, who finished fifth, garnered a total 352.50 points.
Third and fourth were Australians Britanny Broben (359.55) and Melissa Wu (355.60). Ruolin was in a class of her own, scoring 407.25 to win the semi-final.
Based on the semi-final, Pandelela will need scores of 75-plus in each of her dives if she is to challenge for a medal.
She had scores of 67.50, 75.40, 70.40, 67.20 and 72.00 in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Heidi Gan finished 16th in the women's 10km open water swimming, clocking 2:00:45.0s . The Malaysian had targeted a finish higher than her ranking of 24.
Eva Risztov of Hungary won the gold in 1:57:38.2. Second was American Haley Anderson (1:57:38.6) and third Martina Grimaldi (1:57:41.8) of Italy.
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| Pandelela Rinong has to strive for consistency in the final. |
The 19-year-old has a great chance, although gold looks out of reach as only a disaster will prevent China's Chen Ruolin from winning, as she finished the semi-final earlier on Thursday within touching distance of second-placed Meaghan Benfeito of Canada.
The Canadian scored 359.90 from her five dives while Pandelea, who finished fifth, garnered a total 352.50 points.
Third and fourth were Australians Britanny Broben (359.55) and Melissa Wu (355.60). Ruolin was in a class of her own, scoring 407.25 to win the semi-final.
Based on the semi-final, Pandelela will need scores of 75-plus in each of her dives if she is to challenge for a medal.
She had scores of 67.50, 75.40, 70.40, 67.20 and 72.00 in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Heidi Gan finished 16th in the women's 10km open water swimming, clocking 2:00:45.0s . The Malaysian had targeted a finish higher than her ranking of 24.
Eva Risztov of Hungary won the gold in 1:57:38.2. Second was American Haley Anderson (1:57:38.6) and third Martina Grimaldi (1:57:41.8) of Italy.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Renewed hope as Pandelela impresses
MAYBE, just maybe, Malaysia may end the London Olympics with a second medal after diver Pandelela Rinong advanced to the semi-finals of the women's 10m platform in an impressive second place on Wednesday.
Pandelela, the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion in the same event, scored a total 349.00 points from five dives to finish behind China's Chen Ruolin, who was in a class of her own with 392.35 points.
The China diver, barring the unexpected, will surely win the gold but Pandelela has given Malaysia reason to be excited after cyclist Azizulhasni Awang could only manage a sixth place finish in the keirin final on Tuesday.
Azizul, it was hoped, would add to the silver shuttler Lee Chong Wei won in the men's singles on Sunday but Pandelela, who still has to navigate past the semi-finals today (5pm Malaysian time), may just deliver a medal.
Had it not been for a poor third dive which fetched only 52.80 points, Pandelela would have finished the preliminary round much closer to Chen Ruolin and a comfortable second ahead of Christin Steuer of Germany, who scored 341.75 points.
Traisy Vivien Tukiet, however, failed to advance to the semi-finals after finishing 22nd with 285.00 points. Only the top 18 advanced.
There is still work ahead though and Pandelela has to ensure that she advances to the final, scheduled for 2am Wednesday Malaysian time to launch an assault on a 10m platform medal after having finished seventh in the synchro with Leong Mun Yee and eighth in the 3m springboard synchro with Cheong Jun Hoong.
Pandelela, the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion in the same event, scored a total 349.00 points from five dives to finish behind China's Chen Ruolin, who was in a class of her own with 392.35 points.
The China diver, barring the unexpected, will surely win the gold but Pandelela has given Malaysia reason to be excited after cyclist Azizulhasni Awang could only manage a sixth place finish in the keirin final on Tuesday.
Azizul, it was hoped, would add to the silver shuttler Lee Chong Wei won in the men's singles on Sunday but Pandelela, who still has to navigate past the semi-finals today (5pm Malaysian time), may just deliver a medal.
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| Pandelela Rinong qualified comfortably for the women's 10m platform semi-finals. |
Traisy Vivien Tukiet, however, failed to advance to the semi-finals after finishing 22nd with 285.00 points. Only the top 18 advanced.
There is still work ahead though and Pandelela has to ensure that she advances to the final, scheduled for 2am Wednesday Malaysian time to launch an assault on a 10m platform medal after having finished seventh in the synchro with Leong Mun Yee and eighth in the 3m springboard synchro with Cheong Jun Hoong.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ken Nee finishes 10th
THERE was no grandstand finish from diver Yeoh Ken Nee as he finished 10th in the London Olympics 3m springboard final at the Aquatic Centre on Tuesday.
Although the odds were stacked against the Malaysian, some still harboured hopes he could perform miracles in the final after becoming the first national diver to qualify for an individual Olympic final.
But it was not to be for the veteran as he scored a total 437.45 points from his six dives to finish ahead of only Canada's Alexander Despatie and Javier Garcia of Spain.
It was, however, an improvement from his semi-final finish, where Ken Nee took the 12th and last spot for the final.
The diver, though, can be happy as he met the target he had set himself prior to the London Games.
China, who have been ruling the London Olympics diving pool, had to be satisfied with silver and bronze as Russian Ilya Zakharov took the gold with 555.90 points. Qin Kai scored 541.75 for silver and He Chong finished third with 524.15.
Malaysia's diving campaign is not over yet though as Pandelela Rinong and Traisy Vivien Tukiet will be in action in the 10m platform preliminary round on Wednesday (2am Thursday in Malaysia).
Bryan Nickson Lomas also has the men's 10m platform to look forward to on Friday.
Although the odds were stacked against the Malaysian, some still harboured hopes he could perform miracles in the final after becoming the first national diver to qualify for an individual Olympic final.
But it was not to be for the veteran as he scored a total 437.45 points from his six dives to finish ahead of only Canada's Alexander Despatie and Javier Garcia of Spain.
It was, however, an improvement from his semi-final finish, where Ken Nee took the 12th and last spot for the final.
The diver, though, can be happy as he met the target he had set himself prior to the London Games.
China, who have been ruling the London Olympics diving pool, had to be satisfied with silver and bronze as Russian Ilya Zakharov took the gold with 555.90 points. Qin Kai scored 541.75 for silver and He Chong finished third with 524.15.
Malaysia's diving campaign is not over yet though as Pandelela Rinong and Traisy Vivien Tukiet will be in action in the 10m platform preliminary round on Wednesday (2am Thursday in Malaysia).
Bryan Nickson Lomas also has the men's 10m platform to look forward to on Friday.
No shame in defeat for Azizul
AZIZULHASNI Awang was just seconds away from delivering Malaysia's first Olympic medal from a sport other than badminton but had to admit defeat when his power-packed opponents turned on the heat in the final at the London 2012 Velodrome on Tuesday.
Azizul looked to be in the running for a medal in the last 200m as he kept himself with the pace-setters and even occupied second place at one stage when the sprint got underway.
However, the experienced field of world and Olympic medallists proved too strong once they turned on the power, leaving Azizul to cross the finish line in sixth.
Still it was an improvement on his 10th placed finish in the Beijing Olympics four years ago and although Azizul could be seen shaking his head as he crossed the line, he will look back to Tuesday's race as motivation to do even better in the future.
He is only 24 and there will be many more races for Azizul to win, including the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Britain's Chris Hoy defended his title while silver went to Germany's Maximilian Levy and New Zealand's Simon van Velthooven and the Netherlands' Teun Mulder shared the bronze in a tight finish at the end.
Hoy went into the final as a five-time Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion, Dutchman Mulder was a three time world champion, Australian Shane Perkins was the 2011 world keirin champion and Levy was a double bronze medallist in the sprint in Beijing 2008.
Azizul was no pushover himself, having won the keirin silver in the 2010 World Championships and a record three-time World Cup keirin champion, achievements he will undoubtedly add to in the future.
Azizul looked to be in the running for a medal in the last 200m as he kept himself with the pace-setters and even occupied second place at one stage when the sprint got underway.
However, the experienced field of world and Olympic medallists proved too strong once they turned on the power, leaving Azizul to cross the finish line in sixth.
Still it was an improvement on his 10th placed finish in the Beijing Olympics four years ago and although Azizul could be seen shaking his head as he crossed the line, he will look back to Tuesday's race as motivation to do even better in the future.
He is only 24 and there will be many more races for Azizul to win, including the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Britain's Chris Hoy defended his title while silver went to Germany's Maximilian Levy and New Zealand's Simon van Velthooven and the Netherlands' Teun Mulder shared the bronze in a tight finish at the end.
Hoy went into the final as a five-time Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion, Dutchman Mulder was a three time world champion, Australian Shane Perkins was the 2011 world keirin champion and Levy was a double bronze medallist in the sprint in Beijing 2008.
Azizul was no pushover himself, having won the keirin silver in the 2010 World Championships and a record three-time World Cup keirin champion, achievements he will undoubtedly add to in the future.
Ken Nee in final, Azizul on course
DIVER Yeoh Ken Nee and cyclist Azizulhasni Awang ensured a nervous wait for Malaysia on Tuesday when they advanced to the 3m springboard final and keirin semi-finals, respectively.
For Ken Nee, it was a case of history being made as he is the first Malaysian to make an individual diving final at the Olympics.
Ken Nee, appearing in his final Olympics, just squeezed into the final by finishing 12th in the semi-finals at the Aquatic Centre diving pool.
The Malaysian had finished 10th in the first round but a low-scoring sixth dive in the semi-final meant an anxious wait before his place was confirmed. The final is scheduled for 2am Wednesday (Malaysian time).
Azizul, by finishing second, ensured he would - at the very least - match the achievement of Beijing 2008 where he also made the semi-finals.
Azizul has Britain's Chris Hoy for company in his semi-final, which will be at 11.30pm Tuesday (Malaysian time).
Hoy, who is defending the crown he won so emphatically in Beijing four years ago, is desperate to retain the title in his only individual race in the London Games.
The others in Azizul's semi-final, where the top three will advance to the final, scheduled for 12.50am Wednesday (Malaysian time), are Spain's Juan Peralta Gascon, Christos Volikakis of Greece, the Netherlands' Teun Mulder and Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Phillip.
For Ken Nee, it was a case of history being made as he is the first Malaysian to make an individual diving final at the Olympics.
Ken Nee, appearing in his final Olympics, just squeezed into the final by finishing 12th in the semi-finals at the Aquatic Centre diving pool.
The Malaysian had finished 10th in the first round but a low-scoring sixth dive in the semi-final meant an anxious wait before his place was confirmed. The final is scheduled for 2am Wednesday (Malaysian time).
Azizul, by finishing second, ensured he would - at the very least - match the achievement of Beijing 2008 where he also made the semi-finals.
Azizul has Britain's Chris Hoy for company in his semi-final, which will be at 11.30pm Tuesday (Malaysian time).
Hoy, who is defending the crown he won so emphatically in Beijing four years ago, is desperate to retain the title in his only individual race in the London Games.
The others in Azizul's semi-final, where the top three will advance to the final, scheduled for 12.50am Wednesday (Malaysian time), are Spain's Juan Peralta Gascon, Christos Volikakis of Greece, the Netherlands' Teun Mulder and Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Phillip.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Ken Nee in semis, eyes on Azizul
DIVER Yeoh Ken Nee brought some cheer for Malaysia when he qualified for the London Olympics 3m springboard final at the Aquatic Centre on Monday.
Kee Nee finished 10th in the first round, scoring a total 452.60 points from his six dives.
Naturalised Malaysian Huang Qiang, however, just missed out on a place in the semi-finals when he finished 19th with 433.85 points. Only the top 18 divers progressed to Tuesday's semi-finals, which will be held at 5pm Malaysian time.
The top 12 will then progress to the final, scheduled for 2am Wednesday Malaysian time.
Meanwhile, Azizulhasni Awang was drawn in the third heat for the men's keirin, which will also be held on Tuesday (5pm Malaysia).
Azizul has Canada's Joseph Veloce, Fabian Hernando Zapata (Colombia), Denis Spicka (Czech Republic), Mickael Bourgain (France) and Christos Volikakis (Greece) for company in his heat. Favourite Chris Hoy of Britan, the defending champion, is in heat one.
Only the top 12 riders will advance to the semi-finals and from there, the top six into the final. The keirin medals will be decided on Tuesday (early Wednesday in Malaysia).
Kee Nee finished 10th in the first round, scoring a total 452.60 points from his six dives.
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| Yeoih Ken Nee has to finish in the top 12 to make the London Olympics 3m springboard final. - File pic |
Naturalised Malaysian Huang Qiang, however, just missed out on a place in the semi-finals when he finished 19th with 433.85 points. Only the top 18 divers progressed to Tuesday's semi-finals, which will be held at 5pm Malaysian time.
The top 12 will then progress to the final, scheduled for 2am Wednesday Malaysian time.
Meanwhile, Azizulhasni Awang was drawn in the third heat for the men's keirin, which will also be held on Tuesday (5pm Malaysia).
Azizul has Canada's Joseph Veloce, Fabian Hernando Zapata (Colombia), Denis Spicka (Czech Republic), Mickael Bourgain (France) and Christos Volikakis (Greece) for company in his heat. Favourite Chris Hoy of Britan, the defending champion, is in heat one.
Only the top 12 riders will advance to the semi-finals and from there, the top six into the final. The keirin medals will be decided on Tuesday (early Wednesday in Malaysia).
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Keirin Azizul's last hope, disaster for Hup Wei, Noraseela
AZIZULHASNI Awang had to, for the second consecutive Olympics, settle for eighth place in the men's sprint at the London 2012 Velodrome on Sunday.
Azizul was reduced to the fifth-eighth place playoff after having had to accept that Jason Kenny was in a class of his own after the Briton produced two outstanding races to send the Malaysian packing in the quarter-finals.
Though Azizul's two races showed he had put much thought into how to match Kenny, the Beijing Olympic silver medallist proved just why he had been picked ahead of defending champion Chris Hoy by British coaches for the sprint.
Azizul also failed to improve on his eighth-placed finish achieved in Beijing in the fifth-eighth race and will be hoping for better luck in the keirin, which will be contested on Tuesday.
The keirin is Malaysia's last real chance of adding to the silver Lee Chong Wei won in the men's singles at the Wembley Arena on Sunday, although there is still hope that diver Pandelela Rinong will produce something remarkable in the 10m platform on Wednesday.
There was disaster in track and field, where Jamaica's Usain Bolt retained his 100m title with a 9.63s run at the Olympic Stadium, as men's high jumper Lee Hup Wei and women's 400m hurdler Noraseela Khalid failed to use the opportunity to set national records.
Hup Wei produced a best jump of 2.16m when he needed to register 2.26m to qualify. It was a poor effort considering that the Malaysian's national record is 2.27m.
Noraseela also had an outing to forget, clocking 1.00:16s in heat two to finish last in the field of nine athletes. Her national record is 56.02s.
Hup Wei and Noraseela were in London as wild card entries.
Azizul was reduced to the fifth-eighth place playoff after having had to accept that Jason Kenny was in a class of his own after the Briton produced two outstanding races to send the Malaysian packing in the quarter-finals.
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| Azizulhasni Awang is Malaysia's last real medal hope in the London Olympics. |
Though Azizul's two races showed he had put much thought into how to match Kenny, the Beijing Olympic silver medallist proved just why he had been picked ahead of defending champion Chris Hoy by British coaches for the sprint.
Azizul also failed to improve on his eighth-placed finish achieved in Beijing in the fifth-eighth race and will be hoping for better luck in the keirin, which will be contested on Tuesday.
The keirin is Malaysia's last real chance of adding to the silver Lee Chong Wei won in the men's singles at the Wembley Arena on Sunday, although there is still hope that diver Pandelela Rinong will produce something remarkable in the 10m platform on Wednesday.
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| Lee Hup Wei's best jump in the qualification was 2.16m. |
There was disaster in track and field, where Jamaica's Usain Bolt retained his 100m title with a 9.63s run at the Olympic Stadium, as men's high jumper Lee Hup Wei and women's 400m hurdler Noraseela Khalid failed to use the opportunity to set national records.
Hup Wei produced a best jump of 2.16m when he needed to register 2.26m to qualify. It was a poor effort considering that the Malaysian's national record is 2.27m.
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| Noraseela didn't have much to be happy for after finishing last in her 400m hurdles heat. |
Noraseela also had an outing to forget, clocking 1.00:16s in heat two to finish last in the field of nine athletes. Her national record is 56.02s.
Hup Wei and Noraseela were in London as wild card entries.
Chong Wei's pride in defeat
LEE Chong Wei may have fallen short but he walked tall at the Wembley Arena on Sunday.
Lin Dan may have stopped Chong Wei yet again from becoming the Olympic champion, and in doing so kept Malaysia waiting for gold, but no one could fault the two-time silver medallist for his effort.
Having been blown away by Lin Dan when they met at the same stage in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chong Wei produced a near perfect performance in Sunday's final but luck deserted him when he needed it most.
"I knew that the final would require me to produce my best and despite the defeat, I did just that but couldn't find a way past Lin Dan yet again," said Chong Wei, who shed tears as the flags were raised during the victory ceremony.
Although the Jalur Gemilang was hoisted, for the second successive time following two consecutive Olympics (Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004) of national athletes failing to achieve it, Chong Wei's regret was that he failed in his bid for the Negaraku to be heard for the first time at a medal ceremony.
"This will be my biggest regret as my condition improved dramatically with each passing match. I took to the court against Lin Dan as confident as I had ever felt as I had nothing to lose. I felt no pressure as I didn't expect that I would play as well as I eventually did in the Olympics," said Chong Wei.
The ankle injury Chong Wei suffered during the Thomas Cup had threatened to derail his Olympic bid but the Malaysian said the two weeks of intensive training in Bath had helped him tremendously.
"After the first match (against Ville Lang), my confidence was boosted and I resolved that I had to make the final. I am sorry I failed to win the gold but I tried my best."
That he did and Malaysia can only hope that his indomitable spirit serves as an inspiration to the young athletes out there for the nation needs more of them to ensure that the Olympic challenge comes from more quarters and not just from one individual, as was the case in Beijing with Chong Wei.
London isn't over yet but for the moment, Chong Wei is Malaysia's only medallist and he deserves all the praise he can get.
Lin Dan may have stopped Chong Wei yet again from becoming the Olympic champion, and in doing so kept Malaysia waiting for gold, but no one could fault the two-time silver medallist for his effort.
Having been blown away by Lin Dan when they met at the same stage in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chong Wei produced a near perfect performance in Sunday's final but luck deserted him when he needed it most.
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| Lee Chong Wei with his London Olympics silver medal. Pix: Khairul Ghazali |
"I knew that the final would require me to produce my best and despite the defeat, I did just that but couldn't find a way past Lin Dan yet again," said Chong Wei, who shed tears as the flags were raised during the victory ceremony.
Although the Jalur Gemilang was hoisted, for the second successive time following two consecutive Olympics (Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004) of national athletes failing to achieve it, Chong Wei's regret was that he failed in his bid for the Negaraku to be heard for the first time at a medal ceremony.
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| A dejected Chong Wei after Lin Dan won the final 15-21, 21-10, 21-19 at the Wembley Arena. |
"This will be my biggest regret as my condition improved dramatically with each passing match. I took to the court against Lin Dan as confident as I had ever felt as I had nothing to lose. I felt no pressure as I didn't expect that I would play as well as I eventually did in the Olympics," said Chong Wei.
The ankle injury Chong Wei suffered during the Thomas Cup had threatened to derail his Olympic bid but the Malaysian said the two weeks of intensive training in Bath had helped him tremendously.
"After the first match (against Ville Lang), my confidence was boosted and I resolved that I had to make the final. I am sorry I failed to win the gold but I tried my best."
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| Rashid Sidek and Tey Seu Bock, the two coaches who played vital roles in getting Chong Wei ready for the final, offer words of consolation to the shuttler after his defeat. |
That he did and Malaysia can only hope that his indomitable spirit serves as an inspiration to the young athletes out there for the nation needs more of them to ensure that the Olympic challenge comes from more quarters and not just from one individual, as was the case in Beijing with Chong Wei.
London isn't over yet but for the moment, Chong Wei is Malaysia's only medallist and he deserves all the praise he can get.
Bronze eludes Kien Keat-Boon Heong
MALAYSIA'S hopes of a London Olympics bronze medal from men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boong Heong were dashed after the pair, despite a fiery start, fell 23-21, 21-10 to South Koreans Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae at the Wembley Arena on Sunday.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who last beat the Koreans in 2010, raised hopes of an upset when they led 19-13 in the first game but as mistakes crept in, Jae Sung-Yong Dae hauled themselves back.
Even then, Kien Keat-Boon Heong held game point three times but each time, the Koreans came back to eventually win the game. The Malaysians body language in the second indicated the it would be a walk in the park as the Jae Sung-Yong Dae, tipped for gold, took the bronze in 47 minutes.
"I became too tense when we were leading 19-13 as I wanted to desperately win the first game. That led to me making mistakes and once the Koreans won the first game, we couldn't contain them in the second.
"We were desperate to perform after playing poorly in the semi-final (against China's Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng) and the start was just what we wanted. Unfortunately, we couldn't cross the finish line," said Boon Heong.
Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow as the pair had played some of their best badminton in a long while.
"It is disappointing to finish without a medal despite playing well. We tried our level best as we knew we had a great chance but just couldn't do it," said Kien Keat.
Coach Tan Kim Her said losing the first game had a negative effect on Boon Heong.
"Kien Keat played well but once the first game was lost, we could see that Boon Heong become dispirited and the Koreans didn't need a second invitation," said Kim Her.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who last beat the Koreans in 2010, raised hopes of an upset when they led 19-13 in the first game but as mistakes crept in, Jae Sung-Yong Dae hauled themselves back.
Even then, Kien Keat-Boon Heong held game point three times but each time, the Koreans came back to eventually win the game. The Malaysians body language in the second indicated the it would be a walk in the park as the Jae Sung-Yong Dae, tipped for gold, took the bronze in 47 minutes.
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| Korea's Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae celebrate their bronze playoff win over Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong on Sunday. |
"I became too tense when we were leading 19-13 as I wanted to desperately win the first game. That led to me making mistakes and once the Koreans won the first game, we couldn't contain them in the second.
"We were desperate to perform after playing poorly in the semi-final (against China's Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng) and the start was just what we wanted. Unfortunately, we couldn't cross the finish line," said Boon Heong.
Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow as the pair had played some of their best badminton in a long while.
"It is disappointing to finish without a medal despite playing well. We tried our level best as we knew we had a great chance but just couldn't do it," said Kien Keat.
Coach Tan Kim Her said losing the first game had a negative effect on Boon Heong.
"Kien Keat played well but once the first game was lost, we could see that Boon Heong become dispirited and the Koreans didn't need a second invitation," said Kim Her.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Kenny challenge for Azizul in quarters
IF Azizulhasni thought qualifying for the quarter-finals was hard, the "PocketRocketman" will have to produce something extraordinary on Sunday to advance to the last four.
Failing to qualify directly resulted in Azizul having to navigate through the repechage on Saturday and his reward - a showdown with Britain's Jason Kenny, the raging favourite for the sprint gold medal.
Kenny, picked ahead of defending champion Chris Hoy - who beat Azizul at the same stage of the sprint in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, showed he was a worthy replacement by setting a new Olympic record of 9.713 in the ranking round on Saturday.
Azizul had to qualify through the repechage after he was beaten by Russia's Denis Dmitriev in the second round but prevailed in the losers pool, where he had Japan's Seiichiro Nakagawa and Hersony Canelon of Venezuela for company.
"It would have been easier had I beaten the Russian but a momentary lapse in concentration, when his bike wobbled, saw him edging ahead at the finish line," said Azizul.
Kenny lost the Beijing 2008 final to Hoy and will be looking to make up for that but Azizul said he wasn't worried about the Brit.
"All I can do now is review his past races and figure out the best strategy. The sprint is all about tactics and if I can get them right, then I believe I have a chance."
Earlier in the ranking round, Azizul clocked 10.226 seconds for the 11th fastest time. That saw him being drawn with China's Zhang Miao, the 2010 Asian Games champion, in the first round.
Azizul was an easy winner as he exacted revenge over the China cyclist for the Asian Championships defeat earlier this year.
Kenny easily made the quarter-finals after beating South Africa's Bernard Esterhuizen but Malaysia will be hoping that the pint-sized Azizul does produce the magic that has made him the nation's own phenom.
Failing to qualify directly resulted in Azizul having to navigate through the repechage on Saturday and his reward - a showdown with Britain's Jason Kenny, the raging favourite for the sprint gold medal.
Kenny, picked ahead of defending champion Chris Hoy - who beat Azizul at the same stage of the sprint in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, showed he was a worthy replacement by setting a new Olympic record of 9.713 in the ranking round on Saturday.
Azizul had to qualify through the repechage after he was beaten by Russia's Denis Dmitriev in the second round but prevailed in the losers pool, where he had Japan's Seiichiro Nakagawa and Hersony Canelon of Venezuela for company.
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| Azizulhasni Awang is at the same stage he was in Beijing - in the sprint quarter-finals. |
Kenny lost the Beijing 2008 final to Hoy and will be looking to make up for that but Azizul said he wasn't worried about the Brit.
"All I can do now is review his past races and figure out the best strategy. The sprint is all about tactics and if I can get them right, then I believe I have a chance."
Earlier in the ranking round, Azizul clocked 10.226 seconds for the 11th fastest time. That saw him being drawn with China's Zhang Miao, the 2010 Asian Games champion, in the first round.
Azizul was an easy winner as he exacted revenge over the China cyclist for the Asian Championships defeat earlier this year.
Kenny easily made the quarter-finals after beating South Africa's Bernard Esterhuizen but Malaysia will be hoping that the pint-sized Azizul does produce the magic that has made him the nation's own phenom.
Koo-Tan blown away
KOO Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong had to concede to the superiority of Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng as they fell 21-9, 21-13 in their London Olympics semi-final at the Wembley Arena on Saturday.
The China pair, seeking to go one better than the silver they won in Beijing four years ago, were simply too good for the Malaysians, who were caught off guard when Cai Yun-Haifeng adopted a different strategy in the first game.
The Malaysians, who lost the semi-final in just 34 minutes, now must lift themselves for Sunday's tough bronze playoff against Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae after the South Korean's were shocked 21-17, 18-21, 20-22 by Denmark's Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen in the other semi-final.
"We wanted to control the net in the first game but the China pair surprised us by playing as aggressively as Jae Sung-Yong Dae did in their (group) match against us. This confused us and we were unable to make any headway in the first game," said Kien Keat.
The first game finished in a flash, Cai Yun-Haifeng needing only 13 minutes to take their first step towards the final.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong gave it a better shot in the second, but Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng were never really under any real threat and after a point-for-point exchange, made their move at 11-11 when they raced to 15-12.
From there on, the Malaysians were forced to play catch-up and despite inching themselves to 19-20, the China pair sealed their place in the final.
"It is terribly disappointing but we now have to lift ourselves up for the bronze. It will be difficult but we have to as we want a medal," said Boon Heong.
The China pair, seeking to go one better than the silver they won in Beijing four years ago, were simply too good for the Malaysians, who were caught off guard when Cai Yun-Haifeng adopted a different strategy in the first game.
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| Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong just couldn't match Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng. |
The Malaysians, who lost the semi-final in just 34 minutes, now must lift themselves for Sunday's tough bronze playoff against Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae after the South Korean's were shocked 21-17, 18-21, 20-22 by Denmark's Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen in the other semi-final.
"We wanted to control the net in the first game but the China pair surprised us by playing as aggressively as Jae Sung-Yong Dae did in their (group) match against us. This confused us and we were unable to make any headway in the first game," said Kien Keat.
The first game finished in a flash, Cai Yun-Haifeng needing only 13 minutes to take their first step towards the final.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong gave it a better shot in the second, but Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng were never really under any real threat and after a point-for-point exchange, made their move at 11-11 when they raced to 15-12.
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| Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng are on course to improve on their Beijing 2008 silver. |
From there on, the Malaysians were forced to play catch-up and despite inching themselves to 19-20, the China pair sealed their place in the final.
"It is terribly disappointing but we now have to lift ourselves up for the bronze. It will be difficult but we have to as we want a medal," said Boon Heong.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Chong Wei through to final
UPDATED
THERE was more relief than jubilation on Lee Chong Wei's features as he sealed a second successive final appearance in the Olympics with an emphatic 21-13, 21-14 win over China's Chen Long at the Wembley Arena on Friday.
Cheng Long had been expected to give Chong Wei a massive test but the Malaysian, who is now one match away from becoming the first Malaysian to win Olympic gold, was just too determined for the China player.
Nemesis Lin Dan now awaits after the reigning champion beat South Korea's Lee Hyun Il 21-12, 21-10 and after last year's epic World Championships final at the same venue, the world can expect another battle on Sunday.
Chong Wei and coaches Tey Seu Bock and Rashid Sidek got their tactics right against Chen Long and once Chong Wei took control, as had been the plan, there was to be no looking back.
"I can't believe how well I played as I had come into the Olympics not as prepared as I would have wanted," said Chong Wei after winning in 51minutes.
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| Chong Wei celebrates beating Chen Long. Pix: Khairul Ghazali |
Victory was celebrated by first dropping to his knees, followed by pumped fists and then acknowledgement of the fans - the majority of who were behind Chong Wei.
"The pressure I was under was immense and I told myself that this was the final as I didn't want to have to pysche myself up for the third-place playoff, which would have been very difficult."
Seu Bock said Chong Wei had controlled the match exactly the way it had been planned.
"We wanted him to vary his game between fast and slow and that caught Chen Long off guard as he couldn't cope with Chong Wei's variations. The final is next and Chong Wei will prepare as he did for this match, with focus and a sense of calm," said Seu Bock.
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| Chong Wei's target now is the scalp of Lin Dan in Sunday's final. |
Rashid was as vocal as Seu Bock on the sidelines and said the focus now is on getting Chong Wei to improve on his silver medal finish in Beijing 2008.
"He is a step away and we must work hard to ensure that he goes one better. I believe he can," said Rashid, bronze medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Malaysia certainly hopes so.
No semis cheer for Khairul
UPDATED
ARCHER Khairul Anuar Mohamad had to be satisfied with emulating Cheng Chu Sian as the London Olympics semi-finals proved one step too far for the Malaysian at Lord's cricket ground on Friday.
Japan's Takaharu Furukawa won their last eight tie 6-2 as Khairul, who beat Britain's Larry Godfrey in the last-16, failed to control his bow due to strong winds.
"It is so disappointing to lose but I could not cope with the strong wind," said Khairul.
The Japanese won the best of five sets tie 27-26, 26-24, 21-28 and 28-26 .
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| Khairul Anuar Mohamad faces Japan's Takaharu Furukawa in the quarter-finals. |
Khairul had earlier on Friday silenced a partisan crowd by beating Godfrey 6-5 in a nail-biting last-16 tie.
Khairul won the first set 27-25 and the second was drawn 28-28. Godfrey then pulled himself level by winning the third 29-27 and then led 5-3 on points after winning the fourth 28-26.
Khairul wasn't done though as he forced a one-arrow shoot-off by winning the fifth 28-26 and produced a bullseye to the Briton's nine to advance but just like Chu Sian in Beijing four years ago, he failed to advance to the semi-finals.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Chen Long challenge for Chong Wei
IT went according to script as Lee Chong Wei, after a first game struggle, sealed his London Olympics semi-final spot with a 21-19, 21-11 win over P. Kashyap of India on Thursday.
Though the tie - the first game especially - was tougher than expected, Chong Wei was satisfied with his performance.
"I am improving with every match and this augurs well for the semi-finals," said Chong Wei, who needed 44 minutes to seal a second successive semi-final appearance at the Olympics.
"I am looking forward to the semi-finals despite knowing that Chen Long has improved tremendously."
National singles chief coach Rashid Sidek said Chong Wei will need to be aggressive against Chen Long in Friday's tie.
"China players are good at varying their game and Chong Wei must not allow Chen Long to dictate terms. He must shut Chen Long down as quickly as he can at every opportunity," said Rashid.
Chen Long beat Peter Gade of Denmark 21-16, 21-13 in their quarter-final.
Chong Wei's nemesis and reigning champion Lin Dan also struggled in his quarter-final, needing three games to beat Sho Sasaki of Japan 21-12, 16-21, 21-16.
China. already reeling from the match-manipulation scandal, suffered another blow when Lee Hyun Il of South Korea upset Chen Jin 21-15, 21-16 to seal a meeting with Lin Dan on Friday.
Friday's men's singles semi-finals will start at 8.30pm (Malaysian time).
Though the tie - the first game especially - was tougher than expected, Chong Wei was satisfied with his performance.
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| Lee Chong Wei didn't have it easy against P. Kashyap of India in the quarter-finals. Pix: Khairul Ghazali |
"I am improving with every match and this augurs well for the semi-finals," said Chong Wei, who needed 44 minutes to seal a second successive semi-final appearance at the Olympics.
"I am looking forward to the semi-finals despite knowing that Chen Long has improved tremendously."
National singles chief coach Rashid Sidek said Chong Wei will need to be aggressive against Chen Long in Friday's tie.
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| Chong Wei must control the tempo of the match against Chen Long. |
Chen Long beat Peter Gade of Denmark 21-16, 21-13 in their quarter-final.
Chong Wei's nemesis and reigning champion Lin Dan also struggled in his quarter-final, needing three games to beat Sho Sasaki of Japan 21-12, 16-21, 21-16.
China. already reeling from the match-manipulation scandal, suffered another blow when Lee Hyun Il of South Korea upset Chen Jin 21-15, 21-16 to seal a meeting with Lin Dan on Friday.
Friday's men's singles semi-finals will start at 8.30pm (Malaysian time).
One step closer for Koo-Tan
THERE were no hiccups as shuttlers Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong advanced to the London Olympics semi-finals after beating Thailand's Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit.21-16, 21-18 at the Wembley Arena on Thursday.
Despite the dangerous Thais best efforts, Kien Keat-Boon Heong were too driven to be denied a semi-final berth, which they failed to achieve four years ago in the Beijing Games.
Then, they went in as favourites but their fortunes have changed drastically since and they will enter Saturday's semi-final against China's world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng as underdogs.
"Though it is satisfying to make the semi-finals, our job is not done yet," said Boon Heong after producing another smashing masterclass against Bodin-Maneepong.
Kien Keat echoed Boon Heong.
"Making the semi-finals will mean nothing if we don't win a medal and we want the gold," said Kien Keat.
Cai Yun-Haifeng, who beat compatriots Chai Biao-Guo Zhendong 21-15, 21-19 in their quarter-final, will be a massive challenge as the pair have been the dominant force in men's doubles over the last few years.
National doubles coach Tan Kim Her, however, was confident of a Malaysian win.
"Kien Keat-Boon Heong have a burning desire to win the gold and I am confident they can beat the China pair," said Kim Her.
Despite the dangerous Thais best efforts, Kien Keat-Boon Heong were too driven to be denied a semi-final berth, which they failed to achieve four years ago in the Beijing Games.
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| Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong's gameplan worked to perfection in their quarter-final. Pix: Khairul Ghazali |
Then, they went in as favourites but their fortunes have changed drastically since and they will enter Saturday's semi-final against China's world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng as underdogs.
"Though it is satisfying to make the semi-finals, our job is not done yet," said Boon Heong after producing another smashing masterclass against Bodin-Maneepong.
Kien Keat echoed Boon Heong.
"Making the semi-finals will mean nothing if we don't win a medal and we want the gold," said Kien Keat.
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| Kien Keat-Boon Heong celebrate their triumph over Bodin-Maneepong. |
Cai Yun-Haifeng, who beat compatriots Chai Biao-Guo Zhendong 21-15, 21-19 in their quarter-final, will be a massive challenge as the pair have been the dominant force in men's doubles over the last few years.
National doubles coach Tan Kim Her, however, was confident of a Malaysian win.
"Kien Keat-Boon Heong have a burning desire to win the gold and I am confident they can beat the China pair," said Kim Her.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Cheer for Chong Wei, woe for divers
CYCLIST Azizulhasni Awang is still there but following the failure of the divers, Lee Chong Wei has re-emerged as Malaysia's best bet for, if not gold, a medal at the London Olympics.
As Chong Wei produced a commanding performance against Simon Santoso at the Wembley Arena yesterday to seal his quarter-final berth, Bryan Nickson Lomas-Huang Qiang failed miserably in the 10m platform synchro on Wednesday.
The divers were targeted to deliver a bronze but inconsistent dives saw them finishing last instead.
"It is disappointing but we tried our best," said Nickson, 22.
Hopes had been high the duo, after winning medals in several world level meets, would deliver Malaysia's first Olympic medal from a sport other than badminton but they fell flat instead.
Chong Wei, Malaysia's sole medallist at the 2008 Beijing Games, was back at his best though and should advance to Friday's semi-finals as he plays P. Kashyap of India in the last eight on Thursday.
"I found it very comfortable on court and I hope this continues for the remainder of the tournament," said Chong Wei.
Also in action on Thursday will be Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong who play Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit of Thailand in the men's doubles quarter-finals.
As Chong Wei produced a commanding performance against Simon Santoso at the Wembley Arena yesterday to seal his quarter-final berth, Bryan Nickson Lomas-Huang Qiang failed miserably in the 10m platform synchro on Wednesday.
The divers were targeted to deliver a bronze but inconsistent dives saw them finishing last instead.
"It is disappointing but we tried our best," said Nickson, 22.
Hopes had been high the duo, after winning medals in several world level meets, would deliver Malaysia's first Olympic medal from a sport other than badminton but they fell flat instead.
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| Lee Chong Wei moves to intercept a return from Simon Santoso. Pic: Khairul Ghazali |
"I found it very comfortable on court and I hope this continues for the remainder of the tournament," said Chong Wei.
Also in action on Thursday will be Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong who play Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit of Thailand in the men's doubles quarter-finals.
Shuttlers get the boot for match-fixing
LEFT with no choice but to act, the Badminton World Federation on Wednesday disqualified four women's pairs - two from South Korea and one each from China and Indonesia - for match-manipulation.
The disqualified pairs - world champions and top seeds Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang from China, South Koreans Jung Kyung En-Kim Ha Na and Ha Jun Eun-Kim Ming Jun and Greysia Polii-Meiliana Jauhari from Indonesia - were kicked out for deliberately playing to lose in their final group matches on Tuesday.
Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang would have played Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei in the quarter-finals had they finished top of Group D as their compatriots finished second in Group B.
This led to farcical scenes when Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang met Jung Kyung-Ha Na with both pairs doing their best to lose.
This resulted in tournament referee Thorsten Berg having to warn them before the Koreans eventually won 21-14, 21-11.
That then saw the second Korean pair Jun Eun-Ming Jun playing to lose against the Indonesians to avoid Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang in the quarter-finals, and the Indonesians also got into the act to avoid a similar fate. Berg threatened to disqualify them immediately before action resumed.
In the end, the Koreans won 18-21, 21-14, 21-12 but the final result was BWF finally asserting its authority by taking action against all four.
Results' manipulation has been rife in the Super Series and had action not been taken against Tuesday's outrageous events, badminton's position in the Olympics could have come under threat.
BWF secretary general Thomas Lund, speaking from a prepared statement, said: "Four pairs were disqualified by the BWF today following a hearing this morning. They were charged under the BWF's code of conduct for players."
The Dane said Indonesia and Korea had appealed the disqualification of their players but the decision had been upheld. paving the way for pairs who finished below them to make the quarter-finals.
The disqualified pairs - world champions and top seeds Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang from China, South Koreans Jung Kyung En-Kim Ha Na and Ha Jun Eun-Kim Ming Jun and Greysia Polii-Meiliana Jauhari from Indonesia - were kicked out for deliberately playing to lose in their final group matches on Tuesday.
Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang would have played Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei in the quarter-finals had they finished top of Group D as their compatriots finished second in Group B.
This led to farcical scenes when Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang met Jung Kyung-Ha Na with both pairs doing their best to lose.
This resulted in tournament referee Thorsten Berg having to warn them before the Koreans eventually won 21-14, 21-11.
That then saw the second Korean pair Jun Eun-Ming Jun playing to lose against the Indonesians to avoid Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang in the quarter-finals, and the Indonesians also got into the act to avoid a similar fate. Berg threatened to disqualify them immediately before action resumed.
In the end, the Koreans won 18-21, 21-14, 21-12 but the final result was BWF finally asserting its authority by taking action against all four.
Results' manipulation has been rife in the Super Series and had action not been taken against Tuesday's outrageous events, badminton's position in the Olympics could have come under threat.
BWF secretary general Thomas Lund, speaking from a prepared statement, said: "Four pairs were disqualified by the BWF today following a hearing this morning. They were charged under the BWF's code of conduct for players."
The Dane said Indonesia and Korea had appealed the disqualification of their players but the decision had been upheld. paving the way for pairs who finished below them to make the quarter-finals.
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