KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia are set to strike gold, plenty of gold again, with squash returning as a sport to the SEA Games in Thailand.
It was left out in the last two SEA Games — in 2021 Vietnam and 2023 Phnom Penh.
A total of four gold medals are offered in Bangkok — and Malaysia expect to win all of them.
The events are men’s and women’s singles, and men’s Under-21 jumbo double and Under-21 mixed jumbo doubles.
The men’s and women’s singles finals are also expected to be an all Malaysian affair.
In men’s singles, world No. 67 Sanjay Jeeva, who won the Open International Niort Venise Verte in Bessines, France last month, is the top seed while compatriot and world No. 92 Duncan Lee is the second seed.
World No. 60 Ainaa Amani Ampandi is the top seed in women’s singles and fellow Malaysian Yee Xin Ying, who is world No. 65, is the second seed.
However, Malaysia face a strong challenge from the Filipinos in the jumbo doubles.
Malaysia’s Harith Danial will partner Low Wa Sern in the men’s jumbo doubles. Sarawakian Harith will also feature in the mixed doubles jumbo with K. Sehveetrraa.
National coach Ajaz Azmat said Malaysia’s target is to make a clean sweep of all four gold medals.
“We have very capable players in both the men’s and women’s singles and we are expecting an all Malaysian final in both the singles events,” he said.
“I doubt that players from the Philippines and Singapore can challenge for the gold and silver in men’s and women’s singles.”
However, Ajaz said the Filipinos will pose a threat to Malaysian pairs in men’s and mixed jumbo doubles as they won both the events in the SEA Cup in Bangkok in July.
The Filipino pair of Christopher Buraga-Jonathan Reyes won the gold medal in the Under-21 men’s jumbo doubles after defeating Singapore’s Ethan Kuan-Li Yuan Xi in the SEA Cup final in Bangkok.
The Filipino pair of Jonathan Reyes-Aerra Relano also bagged gold in the Under-21 mixed jumbo doubles after defeating Malaysia’s Harith Danial-Anrie Goh in the final.
“Harith and Wa Sern have just returned from England and the United States respectively and they only started training together for jumbo doubles at the Rain Tree Club in Subang recently.
“Despite not much training, I still believe Harith and Wa Sern will rise to the occasion and deliver the gold in the SEA Games.
“Harith will also feature in the mixed doubles and I know that he will do well in the two events,” added Ajaz.
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