Sukan SEA : Kuartet emas tidak naik podium

(dari kiri) Muhammad Yunus Lasaleh, S. Kannathasan, Sehzuan Ahmad Rosely dan P. Yuvaraaj mengharumkan negara apabila menang pingat emas 4x400 meter, malangnya tidak berpeluang menaiki podium.

PALEMBANG – Selepas bergembira meraikan kemenangan paling tidak diduga kelmarin, kuartet 4×400 meter lelaki negara terpaksa meninggalkan Sukan SEA XXVI tanpa menaiki podium untuk menerima pingat emas.

Muhammad Yunus Lasaleh, Sehzuan Ahmad Rosely, P. Yuvaraaj dan S. Kannathasan terpaksa pulang ke tanah air tengah hari semalam ekoran tiket penerbangan yang sudah ditempah tidak boleh dipinda disebabkan tempahan penuh.

Upacara penyerahan pingat hanya dilakukan pada lewat petang.

Kisah itu adalah sebahagian daripada rentetan kuartet tersebut yang diselubungi pelbagai kontroversi dan drama sebelum dapat menjejakkan kaki ke bumi Palembang.

Barangkali, pelbagai ujian dan pahit getir yang terpaksa diharungi Yunus, Sehzuan, P. Yuvaraaj dan Kannathasan boleh difilemkan suatu hari nanti.

Kuartet 4x400m bimbingan jurulatih, P. Jayabalan pada awalnya sudah disenarai dalam skuad untuk beraksi bagi kategori B, namun pada saat akhir sebelum ke Palembang mereka terkeluar daripada senarai tersebut.

SEA GAMES (Badminton): Second stringers give hosts a big scare

Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah being briefed on the heritage room by beat Bona Septano-Muhammad Ahsan yesterday. - Picture by Imran Makhzan

There was not much hope to begin with but Malaysia’s badminton second liners can walk tall after giving Indonesia a fright in a 3-1 defeat in the men’s team final at Istora Senayan yesterday.

Men’s doubles Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah certainly will be a pair to watch when the individual events start today after scoring an upset win over top seeds Bona Septano-Muhammad Ahsan in front of a hostile crowd.

Coach Tan Kim Her was certainly impressed and pronounced himself satisfied despite settling for silver again as Indonesia retained the gold.

“The back-up players turned in impressive performances especially the first doubles. Even (Liew) Daren, if he had won the first game, things could have turned out differently.

SEA GAMES (Football): Enigmatic Mahalli

No-nonsense Mahalli Jasuli (right).

You either love him or hate him as there is no in between where Mahalli Jasuli is concerned.
Mahalli, the rightback in both the national and Sea Games Under-23 teams, is a polarising figure with the country’s football fans.

A strong and tough-tackling defender, he can be the best and worst player on the pitch, all in the space of 90 minutes.

He is often derided for losing possession when attempting to dribble out of defence and, needlessly, picking up yellow cards but is also one of the best at reading the play in front of him.

Sukan SEA : ‘Kuasa wanita’

JELAS, ‘kuasa wanita’ mendominasi pungutan pingat emas kontinjen negara, semalam apabila enam daripada sembilan dituai di Palembang dan Jakarta adalah milik atlit wanita negara.

Apapun, sukan akuatik paling menyerlah untuk kontinjen negara dengan tiga menyusul daripada acara renang dengan dua menyusul daripada terjun.

Sukan SEA (Bolasepak): Pengalaman Mahali jadi taruhan Kim Swee

Tuan rumah turut sandarkan harapan kepada trio perobek gawang Harimau Muda

MAHALI Jasuli – pertahanan kanan yang pernah merasai kehangatan aksi final Piala AFF Suzuki di Gelora Bung Karno, tahun lalu sehingga pemain terpaksa menaiki kereta kebal untuk masuk ke stadium, bertekad mengekang asakan tuan rumah pada perlawanan terakhir Kumpulan A, di gelanggang sama esok.