Malaysia Claims First Men’s Gold in Sea Table Tennis History

Malaysia claimed their first-ever men’s team gold at the Sea Table Tennis Championships in Bangkok, defeating defending champions Thailand 3-1 in the final. The victory marked a historic achievement as Malaysia triumphed on Thai soil having previously lost to them in the 2022 final. Javen Choong set the tone for the final by securing Malaysia’s first point, winning a tough five-set match against Thanmathikom Napat (10-12, 13-11, 11-8, 5-11, 13-11).

Wong Qi Shen followed up with a dominant 3-0 win over Sanguansin Phakpoom (11-6, 11-7, 11-8), putting Malaysia in a strong position. Qi Shen then sealed the victory for Malaysia defeating Thanmathikom Napat 3-0 (11-5, 12-10, 11-9). Earlier in the competition, Malaysia had brushed aside Indonesia 3-0 in the semi-finals to reach the final. While the men’s team claimed gold, the Malaysian women’s team took home a bronze after losing 3-0 to Singapore in the semi-finals.

National coach Beh Lee Wei expressed pride in the team’s historic victory, noting that this is the first time Malaysia has won the men’s team gold since the Sea Championships began in 1998. He highlighted the significance of this win for next year’s Sea Games in Bangkok where Thailand will be the host. However, he acknowledged that Malaysia will need to work harder to prepare for the upcoming challenges as Thailand will be keen to avenge their defeat.

Looking ahead, Beh Lee Wei is hopeful for additional medals in mixed doubles, doubles and singles events, building on their success in the team competition.