KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia‘s karate team looks set to surpass their six gold target when two more kumite exponents brought home the gold at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
And with the Malaysian kata men's and women's teams favourites for gold medals in their respective routines on Thursday, karate could contribute seven gold medals towards the overall tally.
Only two Malaysians made the final and both of them won convincingly.
S. Syakilla got the ball rolling, winning gold in the kumite under 55kg by beating Vietnam's Trang Can Lanh 3-0.
R. Sharmendran then accomplished a massive 8-0 win against Vietnam's Chu Duc Thinh in the under 75kg category.
Three bronze medals also fell Malaysia's way in the repechage.
S. Prem Kumar won bronze in kumite under 55 kg after he beat Lasasima Phonepaseuth of Laos. M. Mathivani then won a second bronze for karate in the kumite under 68kg when she beat the Philippines’ Miyuki Tacay 4-0.
M. Somanroy wrapped up the repechage in the kumite under 75kg when he beat Myanmar's Khin Nyunt 4-2.