KUALA LUMPUR, 14 December: Malaysia’s petanque squad produced a rousing response at the 33rd Thailand SEA Games today after both the men’s and women’s triples teams booked their places in the semi-finals, assuring at least two more bronze medals and officially hitting the four-medal target set by the Malaysian Boules Sport Federation (MBSF).
The double qualification marks a major boost for the national team and underlines their resilience and unity as the competition enters its decisive phase at Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University.
The men’s triples team of Khairul Amirul Zamrulhisham, Mohamad Muqri Arif Mohamad Sapiny and Syed Afiq Fakhri Syed Ali showed tremendous character in the Swiss System qualifiers to finish fourth in the six-team standings.
After opening their campaign with a narrow 8-10 defeat, the Malaysians responded emphatically with commanding wins over Indonesia (13–1) and the Philippines (13–3) to secure their place in the semi-finals.
Syed Afiq said the team’s revival was driven by collective belief and support within the Malaysian camp.
“I truly believe that what lifted our spirits and pushed us to fight today and qualify for the semi-finals was the motivation we drew from our teammates,” he said.
“We carried the fighting spirit of the rest of the squad onto the court, knowing that we were playing not just for ourselves, but to add more shine to Malaysian petanque.
“Of course there was pressure — it would be a lie to say there wasn’t — but Alhamdulillah, the three of us were able to handle it thanks to the strong moral support from our teammates. For me, this medal is not just for the three of us, but for the entire team.”
