BANGKOK: Malaysia were forced to dig deep in the men’s jumbo doubles squash final after Low Wa Sern and Sarawakian, Harith Danial Jefri, dropped the second game before powering past the Philippines in the decider to seal gold today.
The Malaysian pair made a flying start at Vajiravudh College, dominating the opening game 11-4 with sharp movement and controlled attacking play that kept the Philippine duo, Jonathan Reyes and Christopher Buraga, under constant pressure.
However, the Philippines responded strongly in the second game, mounting a spirited comeback to edge Malaysia 11-8 as momentum briefly swung their way.
In the decisive third game, Malaysia found another gear.
Despite falling behind early, Low and Harith gradually wrestled control, levelling the score at 3-3 before pulling clear with a decisive run of points to close out the match 11-5 and secure the gold medal.
“I feel so relieved right now because we played for about an hour and 30 minutes – it was such a long match.
“I don’t really know what to feel. It’s a mix of emotions, but all I know is I’m going to go back and enjoy this win,” the 19-year-old from Miri told Sarawak Tribune post-match.
Low echoed his partner’s sentiments, crediting their ability to bounce back in the decider.
“As long as we responded well in the third set, I think we did really well,” he said.
The victory capped a memorable tournament for Harith, who earlier partnered Sehveetrraa Kumar to claim the mixed jumbo doubles title, completing a double-gold haul for Malaysia.
“It feels very surreal. I never expected this. Of course I had a target to win gold, but I kept my expectations as low as possible.
“After not playing at all this year due to injury and surgery in January, I feel very proud that I was able to bounce back,” Sehveetrraa said.
