Malaysia closed the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games campaign on a high note, winning four golds today for a record total of 12 golds, surpassing the 10 won at the Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998.
Badminton, as expected, provided three golds while the surprise fourth came from gymnast Elaine Koon in the hoop discipline.
Elaine won her gold with 25.300 points at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. She also took the silver in the individual ball discipline and a bronze in the rope apparatus. It was a fruitful outing for Elaine in Delhi. On Wednesday, she won bronze in the individual women’s rhythmic gymnastics all round.
"I am so happy, I can’t believe it. Today is my best event ever," a jubilant Elaine said after winning the gold.
World No. 1 Datuk Lee Chong Wei produced his fifth blistering performance in a row to help Malaysia to three individual titles and the team to four golds out of six in badminton.
Having already bagged the team title, Chong Wei took the men’s singles at a canter, outplaying second seeded Englishman Rajiv Ouseph 21-11, 21-7, much in the same way as his previous four opponents.
He is only the second player to successfully defend the Commonwealth men’s singles title, his compatriot Rashid Sidek doing so in 1994.
He admitted afterwards that he was still receiving treatment on the back injury he sustained at the world championships in Paris in August. "I was able to control the rallies," he said. "I am happy with my performance."
When asked what the value had been of his coming to compete in a field below his standard, he suggested it was partly to prepare for the Asian Games in Guangzhou next month.
Before and afterwards, another world No. 1 from Malaysia, Koo Kien Keat, won titles. Koo and his occasional partnership with Chin Eei Hui relieved Nathan Robertson of his mixed doubles title, when they overcame the Englishman and his partner of the past two years, Jenny Wallwork, by 22-20, 21-12, saving a game point at 19-20 in the first game.
Later Koo and Tan Boon Heong, who top the ranking list in men’s doubles, produced a superlative display of entertainment to beat Robertson and Anthony Clark, a former world silver medallist in this discipline, by 21-19, 21-14.
Apart from the brilliant way in which Koo and Tan turned defence into sudden ambushing attack, their most impressive quality was the ability to go on match-changing runs when needed. But Saina Nehwal of India denied Malaysia its fourth badminton gold after she defeated Wong Mew Choo 19-21, 23-21, 21-13.
