Cheong Min set to star as Asian Games medal hunt continues

NAGOYA: The national athletes will look to add to Malaysia's medal haul across several sports at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games today.

All eyes will be on wushu exponent Tan Cheong Min, a silver medallist at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, when she competes in the combined nanquan-nandao event final.

Karate, which has delivered two bronze medals for Malaysia at the Games so far, will see Adeola Fay Robert taking to the mat for the women's under-55kg kumite event.

In artistic gymnastics, Cadence Teh, Yeap Kang Xiang, Hannah Seow, Marissa Zaiful Azlan and Rachel Yeoh will compete in the women's team and individual all-around events.

In swimming, Goh Li Jie and Tan Khai Xin will compete in the men's 400m individual medley, while Dhuha Zulfikry will take to the pool for the men's 1,500m freestyle.

Andrew Goh, Arvin Shaun Singh Chahal, Bryan Leong and Khiew Hoe Yean will later compete in the men's 4x200m medley relay.

In rowing, Nurzarinah Zakaria will begin her campaign in the women's lightweight sculls singles.

In the team events, the focus will be on badminton, where both the men's and women's squads will both face tough opposition.

Unseeded Malaysia will face top seeds Indonesia in the men's team quarter-finals, while the women's team will take on heavyweights South Korea, the third seeds, also in the last eight

The men's sepak takraw squad will look to secure group champion status when they face India in the team regu event.

Having lost their first two group matches, the women's basketball (5x5) squad will be on a do-or-die mission in their final group match against higher-ranked Mongolia.

A comfortable win could place them in contention to advance to the quarter-finals as one of two best third-place teams from the group stage.

The men's and women's 3x3 squads will be facing Hong Kong and Macau in their respective group matches.

In field hockey, the men's squad will look to clinch their second win in Group B when they face Oman.

The squad downed Uzbekistan 7-0 in their opening match.

In esports, Malaysia will face Kazakhstan and Tajikistan in the group stage of the efootball event, while Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira will be opening his campaign in the Gran Turismo 7 event.