Muhammad Irfan easily retains discus gold

From Mazani Mohd Yusoff

NEW CLARK CITY (Philippines), Dec 10 -- Malaysia’s Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin won his fourth consecutive SEA Games gold in discus at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium here today.

The undisputed regional champion took the gold with his first throw of 57.29 metres.

Muhammad Irfan, who won his first gold in 2013 in Myanmar, made the only valid throw on his first attempt while his five other tries were ruled invalid because he overstepped the line.

William Edward Morrison III of the Philippines did 51.38m to take silver while bronze went to Benjaroon Narong of Thailand with 51.29m

Another Malaysian, Abdul Rahman Lee, finished fourth out of nine participants with a throw of 51.19m.

"Alhamdulillah for this win. I had expected to do better but two weeks before the SEA Games I suffered a ligament tear and I’m very sad.

"I will return to Malaysia tomorrow to continue with treatment before going for several competitions next year,” said the Negeri Sembilan-born athlete.

Earlier, triple jumper Muhammad Hakimi Ismail claimed his third successive SEA Games title with a leapt of 16.68m for Malaysia to end the final day of athletics competition with two golds.

His teammate Andre Anura Anuar was placed fifth among seven jumpers with 16.00m.

The two wins today boosted Malaysia’s medal haul to five golds, nine silvers and seven bronzes and met their five-gold target for these Games.

The other golds were contributed by Muhammad Haikal Hanafi in men’s 100m, Yap Sean Yee in women’s high jump and Lee Hup Wei in men’s high jump.

-- BERNAMA