Kota Kinabalu: State deaf tenpin bowlers delivered one gold and one silver for Malaysia at the just concluded Deaflympic held in Tokyo, Japan from Nov 15-26.
Ho Choon Seong and team mate Syabil Azam from the Federal Territory captured the country’s only gold medal in the men’s doubles.
The pair, who has only been together for a month, put up impressive games of 243, 181 and 226 in the final to beat Danyliuk Vadym and Ialovega Vladyslav (211,208,171) from the Ukraine 2-1.
The silver was won by Nor Misha Nathera Mackery and Huwainaa Danduan Abdullah in the women’s doubles when the Sabahans lost 0-2 (175-203,180-208) to the
Korean pair of Lee Chanmi and Heo Seonsil in the final.
The national contingent returned with only one gold, two silvers and one bronze to finish in 26th place in the competition.
The other silver was won by Vispalinggam Yilamara in the karate individual kumite men’s under- 84kg category and the bronze from the mixed doubles badminton pair of Edmond Teo and Wei Ying Boon.
Sabah Deaf Sports Association president Spencer Soo Kok Heng congratulated the trio for their achievement and hoped financial incentives will be awarded to them by the state government.
“They have made a lot of sacrifices to make the state and country proud by winning medals in the Deaflympics.
“Hopefully Sabah government will give them incentives as they are not having paid jobs and are financially poor,” he said.
He thanked Sabah Sports Council for the support and also revealed that the athletes in track and field, badminton and tenpin bowling are unable to train fully without monthly allowances if based here in Sabah.
Meanwhile, two other athletes from Sabah,Trisya Rafael in badminton and Azlan Kuste in athletics were also members of the national team in Tokyo.
