Jin Keat and Lee Lee bag gold medals in kata competition.
Malaysia were still hunting for their first gold medal in the scenic holiday resort city when Jin Keat and Lee Lee took to the arena in the karate competition.
There was certainly pressure on them to deliver at least one gold after the men’s and women’s kumite teams only managed silver medals.
However, the duo put up a solid three-minute routine in their respective gold medal performances to end up as the toast of the karate squad.
GOLDEN COUPLE: Ku Jin Keat jubilates after winning the men’s karate individual kata. With him is his girlfriend Lim Lee Lee who won the women’s individual kata.
The 27-year-old Jin Keat, who beat Indonesia’s Faisal Zainuddin in the final, said that he was determined to regain the gold, which he lost in Vietnam two years ago.
“I only managed to win a silver in Vietnam. I was more determined to give Malaysia a gold from karate because we failed to win in the team kumite events in the morning,” said Jin Keat.
“We encouraged each other to go all out in the final routine.”
Lee Lee only managed bronze in Hanoi and her second SEA Games gold was sweeter for the fact that she avenged her defeat by Nguyen Ho Huy Ngoc of Vietnam.
Lee Lee lost to her Vietnamese rival in the semi-finals two years ago.
The men’s and women’s kumite team had suffered heartbreaking defeats. Both teams over-powered defending champions Vietnam in the semi-finals but found their match in Indonesia.
Veteran R. Puvaneswaran and L. Kunasilan drew against their Indonesian counterparts but Malaysia failed in their bid to win the men’s team gold after defeats by S. Mahendran and Jarvis Julian.
Malaysia’s hopes of winning the women’s team gold crumbled after Asian Championships gold medallist Vasantha Marial lost the first match 2-4.
Jamaliah Jamaluddin drew her bout to raise hopes of a fightback but her efforts proved to be in vain when G. Yamini lost in the deciding bout.
Eight gold medals, including in the men’s and women’s team kata, will be decided today.
News from:
The Star Online.
Post by:
-Shie'dan Husni-








