Wushu exponent Mandy on target for Asian Games medal after bright start

KUALA LUMPUR: Wushu exponent Mandy Cebelle Chen kept Malaysia's medal hopes alive after delivering a poised routine to finish joint fifth in the first half of the women's Taijiquan-Taijijian combined event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games today.

Stepping onto the ,at at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall, Mandy produced a fluid and controlled routine to record 9.706 points.

The 23-year-old scored a perfect 5.00 for quality of movements (Group A), 2.706 for overall performance and choreography (Group B), and the full 2.00 for degree of difficulty (Group C).

She is joint fifth with Hong Kong veteran Juanita Mok Uen Ying.

Mandy remains within striking distance of the podium heading into the decisive afternoon session, trailing third-placed Basma Lachkar of Brunei by just 0.017 points.

The bronze-medal battle is shaping up as a tight Southeast Asian contest, with only 0.020 points separating third and seventh.

Basma, who won silver at the 2022 Hangzhou edition, occupies the provisional bronze position with 9.723 points, closely followed by Singapore's Zeanne Law Zhi Ning in fourth with 9.720.

Agatha Chrystenzen Wong of the Philippines is seventh with 9.703.

At the top, defending champion Tong Xin of China leads the field with 9.770 points, while Japan's Shiho Saito is second on 9.733 (5.00, 2.733, 2.00).

Singapore's Vera Tan Yan Ning, South Korea's Lee Minju and Chinese Taipei's Liu Pei Hsun completed the top 10, all scoring 9.686 points.

With the margins so tight, the medals will be decided by the second discipline, the Taijijian (straight sword) routine, scheduled for 2.30pm local time (1.30pm Malaysian time).

In the combined all-around format, scores from the barehand Taijiquan and weapon-based Taijijian routines are added together to determine the final medal standings.

Meanwhile, Danish Aized produced a commendable performance to finish joint seventh in a closely fought men's Changquan final.

Danish delivered a crisp and commanding routine, cleanly sticking all his aerial landings without incurring any point deductions.

The Malaysian earned 9.700 points, receiving the maximum 5.00 for quality of movements (Group A), 2.700 for overall performance (Group B) and 2.00 for degree of difficulty (Group C).

The result saw him share seventh place with Hong Kong's Chen Jinsong.

The Malaysian finished just 0.020 points outside the medal positions in a tightly contested field.

Macau emerged as the biggest winners, securing a historic 1-2 finish.

Kuong Chi Hin captured the gold medal with 9.723 points, while compatriot Song Chi Kuan took silver with 9.720 points.

Indonesia's Seraf Naro Siregar also scored 9.720 but had to settle for bronze after losing the silver medal on a tie-break.

Singapore's Chia Kai Ming missed out on the podium by just 0.004 points, finishing fourth on 9.716, followed by Hong Kong's Ho Yin Ching in fifth (9.706) and South Korea's Lee Yonghyun in sixth (9.703).