Ying Ting, Calvin fight their way to medals in worlds and make up for SEA Games woes

Proud moment: Loh Ying Ting posing with her second silver medal in the women’s daoshu event at the World Wushu Championships in Fort Worth, Texas.

PETALING JAYA: Wushu exponents Loh Ying Ting and Calvin Lee Wai Leong have ended the year on a good note after all.

After finishing empty handed at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, the duo rediscovered their form to finish on the podium at the World Championships in Fort Worth, United States on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Ying Ting was the last competitor to perform in the women’s daoshu event and displayed strong composure to earn 9.783 points but it was not good enough to dislodge China’s Liu Xin at the top spot.

She finished second, just 0.047 points fewer than Liu Xin while Vietnam’s Hoang Thi Phuong Giang settled for bronze with 9.763 points.

Ying Ting had also claimed silver for Malaysia in the changquan event on Saturday.

It was a great outing for the Melaka-born Ying Ting considering that she had fired blanks at the last edition in Shanghai, 2019.

It was also a successful campaign for Calvin who made it to the world meet podium for the first time.

After finishing empty handed in the men’s nandao and nangun events earlier, Calvin scored 9.776 points to finish third best in the nanquan.

Hong Kong’s Lau Chi Lung took the gold with 9.802 points ahead of Macau’s Huang Junhua (9.800).

The 26-year-old Calvin, who is from Negri Sembilan, had failed to win any medals in the nanquan and nandao combined event at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.

National coach Koo Chee Zhong said it was a redemption for the duo after the Cambodia SEA Games flop.

“This is Ying Ting’s first individual silver medal and Calvin’s first top three finish at a world championships. They have done well,” said Chee Zhong.

“Ying Ting has a chance to win another medal as she will compete in the women’s duilian (duel) with Tan Cheong Min and Pang Pui Yee next.

“We can only enter one team for either the men’s or women’s duilian. Hopefully, the women’s combination will make it to the top three at least,” he said.

Hangzhou Asian Games silver medallist Cheong Min finished fifth in the women’s nanquan with 9.590 points.

Sarawakian Clement Ting also ended his campaign with his third medal of the championship after taking another bronze in the men’s gunshu.

Vietnam SEA Games gold medallist Clement scored 9.803 points to finish third behind Indonesia’s Seraf Naro Siregar (9.800) and Singapore’s Jowen Lim (9.823).

“Cheong Min made a good recovery from cold to do a good routine today but unfortunately, her stamina was not enough to sustain the routine,” added the coach.

RESULTS

Men

Qiangshu: 1. Zhang Qingchun (Chn) 9.833, 2. Wong Weng Son (Mas) 9.800, 3. Mohd Daffa Golden Boy (Ina) 9.760.

Nanquan: 1. Lau Chi Lung (Hkg) 9.802, 2. Huang Junhua (Mac) 9.800, 3. Calvin Lee Wai Leong (Mas) 9.776.

Gunshu: 1. Jowen Lim (Sin) 9.823, 2. Seraf Naro Siregar (Ina) 9.821, 3. Clement Ting (Mas) 9.803.

Women

Daoshu: 1. Liu Xin (Chn) 9.830, 2. Loh Ying Ting (Mas) 9.783, 3. Hoang Thi Phuong Giang (Vie) 9.763.

Nanquan: 1. Dang Tran Phuong Nhi (Vie) 9.786, 2. He Jianxin (Hkg) 9.780, 3. Tasya Dewi (Ina) 9.753. Selected: 5. Tan Cheong Min (Mas) 9.590.

Jianshu: 1. Yang Yao (Chn) 9.843, 2. Lydia Hui (Hkg) 9.793, 3. Li Yi (Mac) 9.773. Selected: 8. Pang Pui Yee (Mas) 9.676.

RESULTS