IT was a glittering Day 7 for Malaysia as the contingent celebrate its first gold medal at the 2025 Deaflympics Tokyo 2025, with tenpin bowling striking gold and badminton securing a bronze medal today.
Malaysia’s tenpin bowlers lived up to their pre-Games billing in emphatic fashion, delivering the country’s first gold medal through the men’s doubles team Syabil Azam Syamsul Azam and Ho Choon Seong who outclassed their Ukrainian opponents in a gripping final showdown.
Competing at the Komazawa Olympic Park General Sports Stadium, Syabil and Ho, with nerves of steel, sealed the title despite the men’s doubles not being listed as the contingent’s primary gold-medal target.
The Malaysians opened strongly, taking the first match 243–211 before Ukraine clawed back in the second, winning 208 as compared to Malaysia’s 181. With the gold at stake, Syabil and Ho lifted their game when it mattered most, firing a decisive 226–171 in the final match to clinch the championship.
“I’m so happy with the boys. They played really well and stayed calm throughout,” said head coach Joe Tey Teck Kheng, beaming with pride.
“Honestly, the men’s doubles wasn’t even on our gold target list—we were focused more on the team event – doubles and four-men events. But today, they showed tremendous character and proved they belong at the top,” he said.
The victory marks a major milestone for the tenpin bowling squad, further strengthening Malaysia’s medal prospects in upcoming team events.
At the badminton courts, mixed doubles pair Edmund Teo/Boon Wei Ying overcame their frustration of losing their semifinals encounter earlier on, delivering a spirited performance to clinch the bronze which ensured that Malaysia did not leave the sport empty-handed.
The Malaysian duo defeated India’s Abhinav Sharma / Jerlin Jayaratchagan 21–13, 23–21 in a tightly contested 39-minute battle, showcasing maturity and an unyielding fighting spirit.
Earlier in the semifinals, Edmund and Boon had kept hopes alive by taking the first set 21–14 against Korea’s Shin Kyungduk / Park Min Keong, but were unable to sustain their momentum, bowing out 21–14, 16–21, 13–21 in a grueling 65-minute encounter.
There was also joy and cheers at the athletics track, where long-distance runner Azlan Kuste produced a breakthrough performance, qualifying for the semifinals of the 800 metres and earning a spot in the 5,000m finals.
Azlan finished second of eight in his 800m heat, clocking a personal-debut record of 1:59.40s, before securing a finals berth in the 5,000m with a time of 16:48.85, where he finished seventh.
“I feel great this morning and full of spirit, determined to show what I can really do on the track. I’m thankful for all the prayers and support today,” said the Sabahan runner, who continues to exceed expectations on his Deaflympics debut.
Malaysia’s long jumpers also added to the positive mood, with Zaiman Megat Abu and Hazrul Shah Amri both advancing to the finals after posting distances of 6.46m and 6.26m, respectively.
