IT was a fruitful day for the Malaysian, Thailand and Philippines men’s boccia teams on Thursday (Sept 21) as they booked their their ASEAN Para Games semi-final berths at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre.
In the quarterfinals of the Class BC1 category (players with cerebral palsy who are able to use their hands or feet to consistently propel a ball into play), Chew Wei Lun ended Cambodia’s Pornpheng Thong run with a 13-1 victory and Lean Chin Kit defeated Singaporean Jeralyn Tan Yee Ting 4-1.
Thailand and Philippines athletes also advanced to the last four. Huadpradit Witsanu triumphed 11-1 over Singapore’s Ng Pei Feng whilst Joey Eriga De Lean of the Philippines edged Thailand’s Tipmanee Subin 9-4.
In an all-Malaysian BC2 category semi-finals on Friday, Mohd Syafiq Mohd Nor faces Lee Chee Hoong while Saengampa Woranut will go head to head against his Thai teammate Pachdee Boontep.
In the BC3 category quarterfinals (Players with cerebral palsy or other impairments in all four limbs who are unable to throw or kick a ball into play), Malaysia representativ Teh Kar Wei was stopped in his track by Thailand’s Chaemchoi Ekkarat 13-1 while fellow countryman Poolket Pongsathorn defeated Singapore representative Lim Yu Fei Faye 10-2.
In another BC3 tie, Visaratanunta Tanimpat of Thailand drew 3-3 with Malaysian Fua Chee Keong in a nail-biting deciding match.
The Thais also dominated the BC4 category with easy wins over their opponents in the quarterfinals. Somsanuk Ritthikrai pulverised Malaysia’s Lim Hock Lai (16-0), Sukrithong Paweena downed Vietnamese Nguyen Ba Voung 8-1 and Larpyen Pornchok crushed another Malaysian, Aminoor Farid Najuddin, 11-0.
