Malaysian Women Cagers Out To Defend Sea Games Gold Medal

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's national women’s basketball squad captain, Saw Wei Yin is upbeat on the country’s chance to retain the five-on-five event gold medal at the upcoming 2019 Philippines SEA Games, next month. The 27-year-old player said Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam would be the team to look out for based on their current performance, but expressed her confidence that the national team, comprising a mixed squad of young and experience players, would do their best to defend the gold. Wei Yin, who is fondly called ‘Nicky’ among her teammates said the national side under the tutelage of former player, Yoong Sze Yuin had undergone various training and competitions in China, adding that the team would travel to Japan early next month as part of their final preparations before taking part in the biennial games. “The draw favours us, but we cannot take anything for granted, and we will take it game by game since the competition is using the round robin format,” she told reporters when met after receiving a visit from Malaysian Contingent Deputy Chef de Mission I to the 2019 SEA Games, Ahmad Faedzal Md Ramli at Wisma MABA, here, on Monday. Meanwhile, national men’s basketball squad captain, Mak Lok Seng said, they were not setting a target for a podium finish, considering Malaysia was slated to face tricky challenge in the competition, especially against reigning champions, Philippines in the preliminary stage of the traditional five-on-five event. The 25-year-old player also revealed that the national side will travel to Australia in the middle next month as part of the team’s final preparations for the 2019 SEA Games. “I have been informed that several countries will use the naturalised players to beef up their team, and we will do our best despite lacking experience playing against the top teams such as the Philippines and also Thailand,” he added. The traditional five-on-five men’s and women’s basketball event would take place at the Mall of Asia Arena, while the 3x3 event which is making a debut at the SEA Games, would be held at the Filoil Flying V Centre from Dec 1-10. Malaysia’s last victory in the traditional five-on-five men’s event was at the 1989 edition in Kuala Lumpur. -- BERNAMA