August 24, 2008 00:06 AM

No Gold But Silvers, Bronzes For Malaysia At Beijing 2008 Wushu Meet

By Tham Choy Lin

BEIJING, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysian exponents wrapped up their challenge in the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 with no flash of gold but a handful of two silvers and three bronzes at the Olympics Sports Centre gymnasium Saturday.

China took the lion's share of six of the 10 gold medals offered in the floor disciplines or "Taolu" competition.

Hong Kong grabbed two while the Philippines and Russia won one each.

Malaysia's Lim Yew Fai captured a silver in the men's jianshu (sword) and qiangshu (long spear) combined event with 19.32 points behind Hong Kong's Liu Yang who took the gold with 19.40 points Saturday.

"At least I get a chance to stand on the podium. I had a little problem with my sword and was worried that a piece may break off but overall, it didn't affect me too much," said Yew Fai, who posted identical 9.66s for the jiangshu and qiangshu routines.

Woman exponent Chai Fong Ying pipped Japanese Ai Miyoka by four-hundreth of a point for the silver behind China's Cui Wenjuan in the taijiquan and taijijian combined event.

Fong Ying scored a 9.70 in the taijijian Saturday morning to add to her overnight 9.64 in the taijiquan for a total of 19.34 while the Chinese gold medallist was ahead with 19.69 points.

For the tournament here, the taijiquan, a soft and slow fluent movement martial art, is combined with the taijijian, which involves taijiquan and swordplay, as one event.

Fong Ying's younger sister, Fong Wei, collected the bronze in the daoshu and gunshu combined. She totalled 19.16 points behind winner Geng Xiao Ling of Hong Kong with 19.36 and silver-placed Xu Hui Hui who posted 19.31.

Fong Wei had 9.60 for the daoshu or broadsword, and 9.56 for the gunshu, a cudgel routine.

In the men's taijijian and taijiquan combined event, Malaysia's Lee Yang gained fourth place with a total of 19.19 points.

Friday, Malaysia gained two bronzes from Pui Fook Chien, and another from Diana Bong Saturday night.

The three-day wushu tournament is held in conjunction with the Olympic Games.

The medals are not counted in the Olympic tally.

Malaysia's seven competitors were Ang Eng Chong (men's changquan), Lee Yang (men's taijiquan and taijijian combined), Lim Yew Fai (men's jianshu and qiangshu combined), Pui Fook Chien (men's nanquan and nangun combined), Diana Bong (women's nanquan and nandao combined), Chai Fong Wei (women's daoshu and gunshu combined) and Chai Fong Ying (women's taijiquan and taijijuan combined).

-- BERNAMA

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