BANGKOK: Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan finally ended Malaysia’s 10-year wait for a women’s doubles SEA Games gold after holding their nerve in a dramatic three-set final today.
The national pair edged Indonesia’s Febriana Kusuma–Meilysa Puspitasari 21-16, 19-21, 21-17 at the Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, sealing Malaysia’s first gold in the event since 2015.
The win reaffirmed Pearly–Thinaah’s standing as Malaysia’s leading women’s doubles pair, achieved under intense pressure and mounting expectations.
Pearly admitted the closing moments felt unreal after sustained tension in the deciding game.
“I really couldn’t believe it when the match ended. Every point was very hard to win.
“At 20 points, I stopped thinking and just went for the smash. When it went in, I was extremely happy,” she said.
Thinaah credited their success to constant encouragement as fatigue set in.
“We were both very tired, but we kept reminding each other not to give up.
“When it ended, we looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve done it.’ It was a huge relief she said.
Both players acknowledged the pressure of being favourites throughout the tournament but said they focused on enjoying the challenge rather than letting expectations weigh them down.
For Pearly, hearing Negaraku during the medal ceremony was the most emotional moment.
“I almost cried when the anthem played.
“It was very emotional, but I was too exhausted to cry,” she said.
The gold capped a strong year for the pair, who were World Championships runners-up and 2025 Kumamoto Masters champions. It was also their fourth victory over the Indonesian duo.
Having missed the previous SEA Games due to a scheduling clash, Thinaah said the triumph carried extra meaning.
“This was one of our main targets, and this year we finally had the chance to play. That’s why this win means so much,” she said.
Pearly–Thinaah will now head into the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou from Dec 17 to 21 with renewed confidence and momentum.
