Women's floorball team, figure skater Chloe Ing clinch golds
SINGAPORE — Singapore’s women’s floorball team clinched gold at the SEA Games in Manila on Sunday (1 December), lifting the gloom on the Republic’s team sports after the struggles in football and water polo.
They still had to fight tooth and nail against Thailand in the final, before prevailing 3-2 in a thrilling encounter settled by Jerelee Ong’s winner three minutes from time.
The victory meant Singapore retained the women’s gold they had won in the previous floorball competition in 2015. The sport did not feature in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition.
In the 2015 final, Singapore had also edged out Thailand, beating them 2-1 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 3-3.
Singapore had opened the scoring through Natalia Wee, but Thailand hit back to take the lead through goals from Thanaporn Tongkham and Natthakarn Aunjai.
Amanda Yeap equalised for the Republic at the start of the third period, setting up a tense finish which resulted in Ong’s winner.
There was, however, heartbreak for the Singapore men’s team, who failed in their attempt to defend their gold medal after losing to Thailand 1-2 on penalties after the final ended 8-8 after extra period.
Chloe Ing comes from behind for figure skating gold
Meanwhile at Manila’s SM Megamall, figure skater Chloe Ing improved on her silver-medal showing in the 2017 Games, when she came from behind to clinch Singapore’s third gold at the Games.
The 21-year-old scored 102 points in the free skate for an overall 152.67 points, allowing her to overtake the Philippines’ Alisson Perticheto, who had led after the short programme on Friday but had to settle for silver with a 132.76 points total.
Despair for Young Lions as they fall to Thailand
While there was joy for Singapore in the floorball and figure skating arenas, there was only despair for the football team at the Binan Football Stadium, when the Young Lions succumbed 0-3 to defending champions Thailand in their third group match.
The result meant that Fandi Ahmad’s side have not won any of their group matches, losing twice and drawing once. Worse, they have not even scored a goal after the three games – becoming the first Singapore side to fail to score in three successive matches in any SEA Games.
The match was all but over at half-time, with the Thais nabbing all their goals through Suphanat Mueanta (seventh minute), Ratthanakorn Maikami (18th) and Peerawat Akkatam (36th).
With two matches left to play in Group B against Vietnam and Brunei, the Young Lions are in fifth position out of six teams. With the top two sides advancing to the semi-finals, the Young Lions are virtually out of the competition, having only a mathematical chance of finishing in the top two spots.
The wait for a first football gold for Singapore continues at the SEA Games.
SEA Games stories:
Yong Yi Xiang wins first gold for Singapore at 2019 SEA Games
Indonesia deal hammer blows to Singapore in water polo, football
