Hot on the heels of Thomas and Uber Cups 2022 and held concurrently as Thailand Open 2022, the 2021 SEA Games badminton competitions have been operating under the radar.
With junior players flying the flag for Malaysia in Vietnam, the men’s team exceeded expectations by finishing second, eliminating the much-fancied Singapore before succumbing to the might of Thailand in the finals.
While accomplished players have trained their focus on BWF World Tour, thus robbing SEA Games of potential star power from the likes of Lee Zii Jia, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and Jonatan Christie, Penang-born world champion Loh Kean Yew went against the grain and instead chose to spearhead Singapore’s quest. He is a firm favourite for the men’s singles gold medal.
Malaysia stand a good chance to end on a high note in the badminton individual events, especially through mixed doubles.
Follow Malaysia at the 2021 SEA Games badminton individual events:
In round of 16, men’s doubles suffered an early setback with Man Wei Chong relented to an injury to his left kneecap and Arif Junaidi-Haikal Nazri fell to Indonesia’s No. 1 seeds Pramudya Kusumawardana-Yeremia Rambitan 21-13, 17-21, 21-14.
Siti Nurshuhaini defeated Singapore’s Jaslyn Hooi 21-19, 21-11 in women’s singles, but Loh Zhi Wei lost to Philippines’ Mikeala De Guzman 14-21, 17-21.
Up and coming mixed doubles and second seeds Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See defeated Laos’ Daomixay Vorlasing-Vilakone Kommanivanh 21-7, 21-7, while No. 4 seeds Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei defeated another Laotian pair Vannthoun Vanth-Sok Somalyta 21-5, 21-9.
In women’s doubles, Cheah Yee See-Cheng Su Hui defeated Vietnam’s Pham Thi Kanh-Van An Than 21-17, 13-21, 21-14, while Go Pei Kee-Yap Ling lost narrowly to Singapore’s Go Pei Kee-Yap Ling 21-10, 14-21, 18-21.
Singapore’s No. 1 seed men’s singles Loh Kean Yew defeated national hopeful Kok Jing Hong 18-21, 21-15, 21-11.
Benefitting from the luck of the draw, a number of players will begin their tilt at the titles in the quarter-finals.
#SEAGames2021 (Individual Event) Order of Play
QF
⏰ 10.00am (MYT)#DemiMalaysia#BadmintonMalaysia pic.twitter.com/fPpEwcQQgu
— BAM (@BA_Malaysia) May 19, 2022
May 20 (quarter-finals)
Mixed doubles: Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See defeated Chaloempon Charoenkitamorn-Laksika Kanlaha 21-8, 21-16; Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei defeated Hee Yong Kai-Tan Wei Han 21-19, 21-19.
Women’s singles: Pornpawee Chochuwong defeated Siti Nurshuhaini 21-17, 21-8.
Men’s singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn defeated Lee Shun Yang 21-11, 21-11.
Women’s doubles: Cheah Yee See-Cheng Su Hui defeated Airah Albo-Thea Pomar 21-13, 21-11.
#SEAGames2021 (Individual Event) Order of Play
SF
⏰ 2.00pm (MYT)#DemiMalaysia#BadmintonMalaysia pic.twitter.com/Z0LC7suKGt
— BAM (@BA_Malaysia) May 20, 2022
May 21 (semi-finals)
Women’s doubles: Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard defeated Cheah Yee See-Cheng Su Hui 21-16, 21-6.
Cheah Yee See-Cheng Su Hui contributed another bronze medal to the Malaysian contingent at the 2021 SEA Games.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei defeated Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Mentari 20-22, 21-13, 21-18; Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See defeated Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Bandaso 18-21, 21-16, 21-17.
#SEAGames2021 (Individual Event) Order of Play
FINAL
⏰ 1.00pm (MYT)#DemiMalaysia#BadmintonMalaysia pic.twitter.com/eVlP8HtzLt
— BAM (@BA_Malaysia) May 21, 2022
May 22 (finals)
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei defeated Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See 15-21, 21-19, 21-13.
In the all-Malaysian final, Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei gave the country its first mixed doubles gold medal at the SEA Games in 23 years.
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Justin Ng
Digital Content Director, Kuala Lumpur
Often think of myself as a journalist and so I delve deeper into a range of topics. Talk to me about current affairs, watches, travel, drinks, new experiences and more importantly, the business, economics and dynamics behind it.
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