NOVEMBER 19, 20 CHINA DAILY PAGE 14 FROM THE PRESS

Wushu family rejoices as Fong Ying bags fi rst gold for Malaysia

Discipline and countless hours of training have paid off handsomely for gold medalist Chai Fong Ying, who hails from a family of wushu athletes. “We are happy and proud of her achievement and this is a gift to all Malaysians,” her father Chai Chin Chay said at his home on Wednesday. Chai, 51, who coaches the Malacca wushu team, said he introduced Fong Ying to the martial art when she was four years old. Fong Ying, 24, won Malaysia’s fi rst gold medal in the women’s combined taijijian and taiji- quan event at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on Monday. Besides her parents, Fong Ying’s younger siblings — Fong Wei, 22, Fong Chin, 18, and Chong You, 15 — are also actively involved in wushu. Fong Ying’s mother Teh Mary, 45, said the family was anxious during the competition as Fong Ying was neck-and-neck on points with the other top contenders. “My youngest daughter, who was training in Bukit Jalil at that time, said the national wushu coach sent text messages about the gold medal achievement at about 5pm on Monday,” said Teh, who is secretary of the Malacca Wushu Association. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam made a surprise visit to the Chai family home in Taman Merdeka, Batu Berendam, to congratulate them. He said Fong Ying has done the country and state proud and she would be rewarded by the state government for her outstanding achievement.  THE STAR MALAYSIA

Azizul to shave his really tired. But the keirin was the sure, we certainly can do well in last event and I told myself that I this sport,” said the Manipuri, head in celebration would race all out and take what- whose sister is also into wushu. ever risks necessary.”  DECCAN HERALD As he walked towards the  THE STAR MALAYSIA INDIA podium, Azizul Hasni Awang was shaking his head in disbelief that he had actually led Josiah Ng to a Devi bags silver on Star says Packistan stunning 1-2 fi nish for Malaysia in bleak day for India no pushover the keirin fi nal at the Guangzhou ZHANG CHENGLIANG / Velodrome on Wednesday. One day ago, wushu, hardly a India was playing Bangladesh CHINA DAILY Th en, aft er getting his gold medal sport India is famous for, saved the on Wednesday, but the focus on the rostrum, he was eager to country from an absolute washout was already on their next match return to the Athletes’ Village to in terms of medals on Wednesday. against . All eyes in the wealth Games, the next match is a As of Wednesday aft ernoon, the shave his head bald “as a promise Wangkhem Sandhyarani Devi hockey competition are on the new game and both teams will start ROK stands second in the medal I had made to myself”. was the lady of the day for the game this Saturday when the two with a 0-0 score line.” Singh said. table behind host China. Japan is It was indeed a superb feat by the country as she clinched the silver arch-rivals clash at the Aoti Sports About Abbas, Rajpal said: “His in third place. pint-sized rider from Terengganu, in the Sanshou 60kg category, Complex’s turf. presence will make a diff erence for Th e ROK’s initial aim was to win who finally end ed Malaysia’s 40- India’s only medal of the day at the Th ere was hardly any reference Pakistan.” more than 65 gold medals to claim year gold medal drought in Asiad 16th Asian Games on Wednesday, about the 9-0 win over Bangladesh Th e battle within the battle will be a fourth-straight second place at the cycling since the golden double “I was looking to go for the gold. as the post-match interaction with between penalty corner exponents, Asiad, ahead of its rival Japan. But by Ng Joo Ngan and the late Daud Silver is good but I am a little dis- the Indian hockey team members Sandeep vs Abbas. “Th e worth of the target now seems too small. Ibrahim in in 1970. appointed that I could not win the was dominated by the talk of their our penalty corner conversion will Until last week, many expected “I had to bite my gold medal to gold,” said Sandhyarani. upcoming game. be known against tougher teams. Japan would outrun the ROK make sure that it was for real. Until “My left foot was hurting and Th e players’ thoughts were also In these matches, the goalkeeper as its traditional gold mines, the results became official, I was I couldn’t really go all out in the on planning for the big game. Star and the other defenders did not such as swimming and judo, are worried that I would lose it again ... attack.” of the day with four goals against put up any resistance against our scheduled for the early stage of the like what happened in New Delhi A silver medallist in the Asian his name, Sandeep Singh said: PC experts,” said coach Jose Brasa. games. Th e ROK was expected to (at the last Martial Arts Championships last “We are performing very well, but  DAILY NEWS & ANALYSIS get into full swing in the latter month),” said Azizul. year and champion at the SAF this is a different Pakistan team. INDIA stage through its dominance in Azizul had earlier failed to get Games, Sandhyarani said she took They have brought back some taekwondo and archery. the bronze in the sprint event, los- up the event as it involved a combi- experienced players like drag-fl ick But while Japan managed to ing to Japan’s Nitta Yudai. “I was nation of diff erent routines. specialist Sohail Abbas. It will be a ROK looks to add claim seven gold medals in judo, down aft er not making the sprint “A lot of thinking is involved in tough contest.” to Asiad success the ROK, rather surprisingly, final because of a technical mis- this sport. You should know when India has won their last two big won six gold medals. Th e biggest take on Monday and I thought I to kick and when to punch; that games against the Pakistanis, but Six days into the 16th Asian surprise came from the shooting could make up for it by getting the is why I took up wushu,” said the skipper Rajpal Singh said not to Games, the Republic of Korea event. Of the 24 gold medals the bronze,” he said. CRPF employee. read too much into it. (ROK) has been making a fl ying ROK has won so far, 10 have come “But I did not do well against “It isn’t a popular sport in India, “Though we beat Pakistan in start in Guangzhou, garnering from shooting events. the Japanese rider and then I felt but with better facilities and expo- the World Cup and the Common- more than 20 gold medals.  THE KOREA HERALD