KUALA LUMPUR – National squash players Mohammad Syafiq Mohd Kamal and Aifa Azman delivered a formidable performance, ultimately earning a well-deserved silver medal in the mixed doubles category at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
In an exhilarating 34-minute match, the Malaysian duo narrowly lost 10-11, 10-11 to India’s Harinderpal Singh Sandhu and Dipika Pallikal at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Park Expo Center Squash venue today.
The top Malaysian pair had advanced to the final yesterday by defeating another Indian duo, Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9 in a match that lasted 38 minutes.
This marks the inaugural inclusion of the mixed doubles category in the Asian Games since squash made its debut in the 1998 edition in Bangkok, Thailand.
Adding today’s silver, the Malaysian squash team has secured one gold medal in the women’s team event and one bronze in the men’s team event.
Currently, Malaysia stands 16th in the Asian Games standings with a total of 24 medals (3 gold, 4 silver, and 12 bronze), with just 3 more needed to reach the country’s medal target. – October 5, 2023.