SEA Games 2025: Eight Is Enough For Speedy Tigers To Strike Gold

CHONBURI, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- Amanraj Sarwan's late hat-trick blitz added gloss to Malaysia's 8-0 demolition of Thailand as the Speedy Tigers lived up to expectations to comfortably deliver the men's hockey gold medal for the 17th consecutive time at the SEA Games Thailand 2025 here today.

Malaysia, who went into the final at the Thailand National Sport University aiming to extend their domination in men's hockey since the first edition of the biennial Games, had to wait until the end of the first quarter before breaking the duck through Muhajir Abdu Rauf.

The Speedy Tigers upped the tempo in the second quarter and notched two more field goals through Faiz Jali (27th minute) and Aiman Rozemi (28th minute).

Fitri Saari then made it 4-0 in the 42nd minute before Malaysia really turned on the power to add four more goals in the fourth quarter, with Alfarico Liau chipping in with one in the 50th minute before Amanraj stole the thunder with his hat-trick (55th, 57th and 60th minutes).

"We expected this gold medal, but not the scoreline. It’s one thing to know that the medal is there for the taking, but you still need to play well to get your hands on it," Speedy Tigers coach Sarjit Singh told reporters after his men's final flourish.

Malaysia have now won the gold medal 18 times since hockey was first contested at the 1971 edition, finishing runners-up just once in 1973.

-- BERNAMA