HANOI: With two days of competition to go, the Malaysian contingent managed to hit their 36-gold medal target at the Sea Games yesterday.
Karate exponents R. Sharmendran, S. Prem Kumar, H. Sureeya Sankar, S. Geerijaieswaran, Arif Afifuddin Ab Malik, V. Kueggan and G. Katish emerged as the heroes for Malaysia as they secured the country's 36th gold medal of the games with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Indonesia in the men's Kumite team final. It was Malaysia's first gold in the event in 29 years.
Earlier, national shooter Nurul Syasya Nadiah Mohd Arifin delivered the nation's 35th gold medal in the women's 10m air pistol.
The Sea Games debutante, who had to overcome a rocky start in the morning qualifiers, dedicated her triumph to coach Firdaus Abdul Rahim for guiding her all the way.
Xiangqi (elephant chess) player Xin Ru Jee made some great moves to claim silver in the women's standard singles while teammate Sze Jie Fang won bronze in the men's standard singles.
Road cyclist Nur Aiman Rosli took bronze in the men's individual time trial.
In tennis, women's doubles pair Jawairiah Noordin-Sharifah Elysia Wan Abdul Rahman picked up a bronze after a close battle with their Thai opponents in the semi-finals.
Karatekas Siti Nur Azwani Nor Azlishah, C. Shahmalarani, P. Madhuri, M. Mathivani and Syahirah Azlan had earlier earned a bronze in the women's team event. Thomson Hoe, Ivan Oh and Emmanuel Leong claimed a bronze in the men's team Kata event.