17 September 2001

Indonesians reemerge as overall champs in silat

JOHOR BAHARU, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- Indonesia, who lost the overall championship in the silat competition to Vietnam in the 1999 SEA Games, have re-emerged as the silat powrhouse in this Games.

The Indonesians won nine gold medals compared to six by Vietnam. Hosts Malaysia did quite well by winning five golds while Singapore took one.

A total of 21 gold medals were at stake in silat -- six in artistic silat and 16 in the tanding (combat events).

The finals of the 16 tanding categories (10 men's and six women's) were held today at the Johor Corporation Indoor Stadium in Pasir Gudang.

Indonesia's gold medallists in the men's tanding events were Abas Akhbar, Tri Widodo and Fentje Royke Maengkom, while the women champions were Ni Made Arya Dwi Damayanthi and Ika Lesmana Nurgana.

Indonesia blew their chance of winning another gold in the men's category when Samuel Mallo failed to appear in the contest against Malaysia's Ahmad Faizal Omar, earning Malaysia a gold without fight.

Samuel's action appeared to be a protest against the decision in the woman final between Indonesia's Al Fana and Vietnam's Trinh Thi Nga.

The Indonesians were upset with the 4-1 win awarded to the Vietnamese woman.

Vietnam proved their strength in the women's events, winning three of the six gold medals through Ngu Yen Ngoc Anh and sisters Trinh Thi Mui and Trinh Thi Nga.

Vietnam also won three of men's events through Dinh Cong Son, Nguyen Huu Long and Ngu Yew Van Hung.

Malaysia's "tanding" golds came from Ismail Darus, Mohd Azrin Abd Malek and Ahmad Faizal in the men's events and Mastura Sapuan in the women's category.

Malaysia had earlier won a gold in the artistic event through the women's combination of Noor Syahidda Wati Abdullah Sani and Shalina Abdul Ghafar.

The five golds won by Malaysia is higher than the three won by the country in the Brunei Games.

Singapore's Mohd Zulfakar Mohd Ramli won the sold gold for his country by retaining the title in his category.

Sourced from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-78352728/indonesians-re-emerge-overall.html

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