KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik delivered Malaysia's first medal of the Paris Olympics yesterday though Lee Zii Jia's hopes of claiming the nation's first-ever gold at the games were dashed.
Aaron-Wooi Yik (world No. 3) looked set for defeat in their bronze medal playoff against world No. 2 Anders Skaarup Rasmussen-Kim Astrup as the latter opened strongly at Porte de La Chapelle Arena.
But Aaron-Wooi Yik showed nerves of steel to save four match points in a row in the second game and stave off a late fightback from the Danes in the decider to secure a well deserved 16-21, 22-20, 21-19 win for the bronze.
Aaron-Wooi Yik have thus equalled their third-place finish at the Tokyo games three years ago.
Zii Jia, however, had no answer to an in-form Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men's singles semi-finals. The world champion from Thailand played near-flawless badminton en route to a 21-14, 21-15 win over Zii Jia.
Zii Jia (world No. 7) will face India's Lakshya Sen (world No. 22), who lost to Viktor Axelsen in the other semi-final, for the bronze medal today.
In sailing, Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy is now 32nd in the overall standings for the men's dinghy event after placing 22nd in race seven and 34th in race eight at Marseille Marina yesterday.
Nur Shazrin Latif is 33rd in the women's dinghy after placing 29th in race seven.
In golf, Gavin Green finished tied-33rd in the men's individual event on a three-under 281 at Le Golf National after four days of competition. He carded two-under 69 in the final round.
Results (Aug 4)
Badminton
Men's singles, semi-finals: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) def Lee Zii Jia 21-14, 21-15
Men's doubles, bronze medal match: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik def Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) 16-21, 22-20, 21-19
Men's dinghy: Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy - race 7 (No. 22), race 8 (No. 34)
Women's dinghy: Nur Shazrin Latif - race 7 (No. 29)
Golf, men's individual event final round: Gavin Green 281 (tied-33rd)
MALAYSIANS IN ACTION TODAY (AUG 5)
Badminton
Men's singles bronze medal match: Lee Zii Jia v Lakshya Sen (Ind)
Golf
Women's individual stroke play, round 1: Ashley Lau
Sailing
Women's dinghy, races 9-10: Nur Shazrin Latif
Men's dinghy, races 9-10: Khairulnizam Afendy