Sad faces: OCM deputy president Datuk Nur Azmi comforts Jason Loo Jun Wei and Nur Humaira Abdul Karim after they missed out on a medal at the SEA Games due to alleged bias judging. In the right is team manager Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
BANGKOK: Poomsae exponent Nur Humaira Abdul Karim struggled to contain her emotions after being forced to accept a bitter end to her SEA Games campaign.
Humaira had arrived in Thailand brimming with confidence and the ambition of securing her second SEA Games gold medal.
Instead, her journey ended in heartbreak following what the Malaysian camp claimed was biased judging at the Fashion Island Mall on Wednesday (Dec 10).
Humaira and her partner Jason Loo were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the mixed pair poomsae event by Thailand’s Chonlakorn Chayawatto-Thana Kiewlailerd, after the referees controversially overturned the Malaysians’ initial score.
The scoring board initially showed 8.520 for Malaysia and 8.460 for Thailand.
But the referees awarded the tie to the Thais instead after a deduction of 0.4 points, knocking out the Malaysians. Humaira-Jason later found out the Thais were declared the winners based on better presentation.
The Malaysian team then submitted an official protest but the appeal was not successful.
Humaira will thus return home empty handed from her second SEA Games campaign.
She had won the women's individual poomsae title in Cambodia two years ago but has only focused on the mixed pair event this time.
Her older sister Nur Hidayah Abdul Kasim had partnered Jason to win the mixed pair title at the last SEA Games in Cambodia.
Humaira-Jason were seen as the favourites to deliver the first gold for Malaysia yesterday based on their bronze medal win at the World Championships in Hong Kong last year but it was not to be in the end.
"I spent a lot of time preparing for this SEA Games. I put all my heart into trying to bring good news for Malaysia on the first day of taekwondo competition," said the 23-year-old Humaira.
"We had beaten the Thais in competition in Europe before but things did not worked out this time.
"Our team appealed on our behalf but the decision stayed.
"We accepted the outcome as this is a subjective sport, so we have to be prepared for anything that could possibly happen.
"I thanked the team for giving me this chance and it is what it is. I can't do anything as the system is like this."
Team manager Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Sheikh Mustapha said the verdict was hard to swallow.
"Our mixed pair were favourites for gold. They're ranked No. 1 but they lost by 0.4 on presentation.
"We protested but once results are released, nothing can be changed. We accept this but we're disappointed."
