They tamed the vociferous home crowd and pulled themselves from the jaws of defeat as Malaysia clinched the inter-regu gold medal with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over host Indonesia.
The fired-up Malaysians staged a sensational 18-21, 22-20, 21-11 win in the final at the Jakabaring Sports City’s Ranau Hall on Tuesday – for Malaysia’s fourth gold medal in the 18th Asian Games.
Tears flowed freely after Zulkifli Abdul Razak (tekong), Farhan Adam (feeder) and Azlan Alias (attacker) clinched the gold – thanks to their never say die attitude and tremendous fighting spirit although the odds were heavily stacked against them.
With the Asiad heading towards the tailend, Malaysia is chasing a seven-gold target made all the more difficult with badminton’s poor, poor showing and without a medal to show although the shuttle sport narrowed down their target to ‘two medals of any colour” after Datuk Lee Chong Wei was kayoed by ill health and was forced to withdraw from the Asiad.
The last time Malaysia won a gold in sepak takraw was at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima.
What is more heartening in Jakabaring, Palembang is that the Malaysians lost the first set 18-21, and were staring at defeat in the second set with the Indonesians leading 17-11. But then the Malaysian Tigers woke up at that stage and drew level at 19 all and the Indonesians crumbled under the onslaught to force a rubber with a 22-20 win.
The third and deciding set was Malaysia’s for the taking as the Indonesians reeled under pressure. With their confidence boosted and adrenalin flowing the gold went Malaysia’s way with a 21-11 win.
With that sepak takraw ended a 24-year wait. RIZAL ABDULLAH
