KUALA LUMPUR – National women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah etched their names into history after ending Malaysia’s 10-year wait for a gold medal in the women’s doubles event at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand today.
The world No. 2 duo delivered a spirited performance at the Thammasat University Gymnasium, where they were pushed to the limit before overcoming Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma–Meilysa Trias Puspitasari in a gripping rubber-set encounter, winning 21–16, 19–21, 21–17 in 86 minutes.
The hard-earned triumph marked Malaysia’s first gold medal in the women’s doubles event since the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, when Amelia Alicia Anscelly–Soong Fie Cho last stood atop the podium for the nation.
In the final, Pearly–Thinaah came out firing in the opening game, combining swift attacking play with solid defence to deny the Indonesian pair any rhythm.
However, hopes of wrapping up the match in straight games were dashed as the Indonesians regrouped in the second set to force a decider.
Making their debut at the biennial Games, Pearly–Thinaah faced a tense moment in the third set when they were put under heavy pressure and trailed 12–16.
Drawing on their experience on the world stage, the Malaysian pair mounted an impressive comeback, reeling in point after point before sealing a sweet 21–17 victory.
The win in Thailand also saw Pearly–Thinaah deliver on the gold medal expectations set by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and, more importantly, contributed Malaysia’s 17th gold medal of the Games. – December 14, 2025