Synchronised Swimming: Negri Upset Penang To Win Team Technical Gold

Dazzling: Negeri Sembilan team on their way to winning a surprise gold in the team technical routine.-M.AZHAR ARIF/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Negri Sembilan sprang the biggest surprise by bagging the team technical routine gold in the first day of the synchronised swimming event of the 16th Sukma (Malaysia Games) at the National Aquatic Center, Bukit Jalil today.

Led by international Gan Zhen Yu, the team, who also comprised Wong Xin Ying, Tan Jia Hui, Tan Jia Jih, Wong Mei Teng, Chai Jia Yue, Gan Hua Wei and Nur Faqihah Abdul Halim, were fully focused as they amassed 70.9 points to emerge champions.

Favourites and defending champions Penang could only manage 69.7 points to settle for the silver.

Federal Territories, coached by 2011 SEA Games gold medallist Shareen Png, took the bronze after accumulating 63 points.

“It’s a great achievement for us because Penang beat us to the gold in the last Sukma two years ago,” said Negri’s Hu Shu Xia, the coach of the team for the past seven years.

“It was never easy at all to win the gold but my girls trained really hard for it.”

Earlier, top synchronised swimmer Katrina Ann Hadi of Selangor stamped her mark in the pool by winning the solo technical gold.

She scored a total of 75.64 to hold off Penang’s Tasha Jane who only managed 70-24. Federal Territories’ Jacqueline Ng Siew Fong took bronze.

Selangor also enjoyed a grand double as Zylane Lee Yhing Huey won gold in the solo free routine. She amassed 74.2 points to pip Penang’s Emanuelle Mah Thil Da and FT’s Foong Yan-Nie who took silver andbronze respectively.