Singapore and Malaysia save the best for last to win gold in SEA Games Trios event

Singles champion Shaun Ng Qenn, Jason Yeong-Nathan and Remy Ong, Singapore finished their six-game series in the men's Trios event at the 24th Southeast Asian Games with their sole 600-game to beat out Malaysia for the gold medal by four pins. The Singaporeans totaled 3490 pins for six games (games 1-3 on long, games 4-6 on short oil), and averaged 193.89.

Asian Games champion Ryan Lalisang, Oscar Oscar and Haqi Rumandung, Indonesia, had a 35-pin lead before the final game despite a 468 in game 5. A final 573 game left the Indonesians one pin short of the gold medal with 3489.

"We had the lead the whole way", said former world champion Tim Mack, who is assisting coach Paul Delany during the SEA Games. "We had a bad fifth game on a terrible pair. The lanes are brutally hard! It's a grind out."

Adrian Ang, Aaron Kong and Zulmazran Zulkifli, Malaysia, were another three pins behind the Indonesians and had to settle for bronze with 3486 (193.67). Thailand's Badin Lertpiriyasakulkit, Somjed Kusonpithak and Yannaphon Larp-apharat rebounded from a disastrous 426 in game #4 with 659 and 639 but fell 10 pins short of the medals with 3473.

In the women's division, Malaysia's Doubles champions Esther Cheah and Zatil Iman, who teamed with Shalin Zulkifli, posted a huge 673 series in the final game to earn the title. Aree Gunnalada, Saowapha Kunaksorn and Angkana Netrviseth, Thailand, took the silver medal with 3513.

Evelyn Chan, Jasmine Yeong-Nathan and Amanda Ng, Singapore, finished with a 621-game and a 3489 total to grab the bronze medal. Indonesia's Novie Phang, Shalima Zalsha and Sharon Limansantoso, who led before the final game slipped all the way out of the medals due to a 524 last game to finish fourth with 3482.


All players will return on Tuesday for the men's and women's 5-player team event with the first block of 3 games on the short oil and the second block on long oil.