Sukma: Johor Set To Emerge Overall Winner Of 20th Sukma

23/09/2022 01:10 AM

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Johor look set to run away with the overall title after opening up a 29-gold medal gap over second placed Federal Territories (40) with just one more day of competitions left in the 20th Malaysia Games (Sukma) before the curtains come down on Saturday. 

Johor have 69 gold, 39 silver and 39 bronze while Federal Territories pipped Terengganu to take second place with 40 gold, 45 silver and 51 bronze medals and Terengganu have 38 gold, 37 silver and 50 bronze.

The southerners added eight gold medals today from mainly shooting and cycling events with National shooter Nurul Syasya Nadiah Mohd Arifin, the 2021 SEA Games gold medallist and National track cyclist Muhammad Ridhwan Sahrom leading the medal haul.

Nurul Syasya lived up to expectations by winning her fourth personal gold medal when she teamed up with Hazeq Hazeem R. Azmi to win the 10m air pistol mixed team event, beating Justin Joanes Kelukin-Law Wen Xuen from Sarawak, 16-12 at the Subang National Shooting Range.

Muhammad Ridhwan on the other hand, blazed the track at the National Velodrome in Nilai to claim the gold.

Federal Territories ruled supreme in the pool when young National swimmer Bryan Leong won the men’s 100m butterfly event in sensational style by clocking 53.32 seconds to break the 13-year-old National record of 53.33s set by Daniel Bego at the World Championships in Rome, Italy in 2009.

Meanwhile, tomorrow will see the mother of all gold medals decided at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras as Penang and Terengganu battle it out for the men’s football gold.

Penang who beat Federal Territories 1-0 in the semifinals yesterday are aiming to win their maiden Sukma gold medal from football while three times gold medal winner Terengganu will be gunning for their fourth gold medal after having beaten Selangor 2-1 in the other semifinal.

-- BERNAMA