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Kota Kinabalu: Sabah won two gold, two silver and five bronze medals at the Sarawak Sukma Games on Sunday.

In addition to Yee Xin Ying’s morning effort in squash, the other golds came from the karate women’s kata team of Annaliese Anne Robberth, Audrey Adreana Baking and Ivy Olivera Donny after defeating team Penang 39.30-38.80 in the final in the afternoon.

The silvers also came from karate in the women’s kumite after the 0-7 loss of Anabell Mazlan to  Zakiah Adnan from Terengganu in the -61kg category and Prisca Easter Philip’s 3-7 defeat to Johor’s kumite Jayashree Oathinyanathan in the -68kg.

Karatekas also contributed three bronzes from Chin Xueyi in the women’s kumite -68kg with a 6-3 win over  Prithika Riona Reddi from Kelantan in the playoff, Muhd Aiman Azlan in the men’s kumite individual -84kg after beating Perak’s Thanentra Veerayah 11-3 and the men’s kata team of Alvince Zurizal, Eddel Jerry Jamun, Mohd Haikal Henry.

The other two bronze medals were won by the Muaythai contingent in the men’s 57-60kg category through Elfron Jaidin and Nur Insyirah Mandol in the women’s 42-45kg.

Sabah ended the day in sixth position with a total of seven golds, four silvers and 13 bronzes. 

Xin Ying won Sabah’s first ever gold medal in squash.

Earlier on Sunday, Xin Ying created history by winning Sabah’s first ever gold medal in squash at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Kuching.

The tournament third seed came from two sets down to beat fourth seed Sehveetrraa Kumar from Kedah 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 in the final to take the women’s singles title.

She had on Saturday upset national champion AIra  Azman in the semi-final with another five sets 4-11, 11-5, 12-10, 3-11, 11-9 victory.

Yee said after the final that she was very happy to win the title and praised the coaches and her teammates for the victory.

“I am really happy for this win. Credit to the coaches and my teammates for their support even after I had lost the first two sets.

“Their constant encouragement motivated me to fight back and I was able to regain my rhythm in the third set,” she said.

She was also delighted to help her former teammate and fellow Sabahan Lai Wen Li to avenge her semi-final defeat to Aira in the last Sukma’s singles event.

Both Yee and Lai are currently studying at the Cornell University in New York.

The two have also won a silver medal in the women’s doubles at the last Sukma in 2022.

Meanwhile, Sabah Squash Association president Datuk Charles O Pang congratulated Yee for the historic feat.

“Squash in the State has achieved another milestone with Yee Xin Ying winning the first ever gold in Sukma.

“This latest success indicates that our athletes can both excel in the field of academic and sports at the same time if they really put their mind to it, as proven by Yee and Lai Wen Li who are currently studying in one of the Ivy league universities in the United States.

“Last but not least I would also like to congratulate our coaches, team manager and officials as well as all the players for their hard work and cooperation.

“Not forgetting Youth and Sports Ministry, MSN Sabah and also the parents for their support,” he added.