Double-winner Sayadin leads RI's gold rush in rowing
Double-winner Sayadin leads RI's gold rush in rowing
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Hanoi
Sayadin claimed two of Indonesia's four gold medals in
canoeing as the country emerged as the dominant force on the
water at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam on
Tuesday.
Sayadin battled against chilly winds and rain whipping over
West Lake to snatch a last-gasp, come-from-behind victory in four
minutes and 34.58 seconds in the 1000 meter event.
Phone Mying Tayzar of Myanmar came second in 4:36.88, with
Karn Khasuwan third in 4:52.47.
"I started late and was about two or three-boat lengths
behind. After 300 meters, I reduced the gap but was still unable
to row at full power. It was very cold," Sayidin said.
Temperatures hit just 14 degrees Celsius.
After the turn, Sayidin, a father of two children, was still
trailing but in the last few meters was able to power over the
finish line, half a boat length ahead of his closest rival.
"I concentrated and fought it out with high spirit," he said.
Teaming up with Laode in the men's 1000-meter kayak, Sayidin
won his second gold. The Indonesian duo registered a time of
three minutes and 51.27 seconds. Kan Shwe and Aung Kyaw Moe took
the bronze in 3:52.86 and Nguyen Khanh Thanh and Nguyen Van Chi
of Vietnam grabbed the bronze in 3:58.72.
Roniadi and Asnawir also saved it until the final few meters
to win the men's 1000m-K2 final in a time of 4:30.92. Silver
medal winners Aung Lin and Win Httke were seconds shy in 4:31.40
while Tran Duc The and Luu Van Hoan of Vietnam followed in
4:38.20.
Indonesia's fourth gold came in the women's 1000m-K2, courtesy
of Sarce Aronggear and Suhartati. They covered the distance in
4:26.41. Myanmar's Khin Ma Roo and Thein Htay Win finished in
4:27.29 for silver and Lim Ling Min and Tong Lee Ling of
Singapore recorded 5:07.08 for bronze.
Indonesia failed in the other three finals. Sarce Aronggaer
was aiming for her second victory in the 1000m-K1 only to come
second to Vietnamese Doan Thi Cach, whose time of 4.51.76 was
about five seconds ahead of the Indonesian.
Vietnam added another gold to its collection with victory in
the men's 1000m-C1 through Hoang Hong Anh while Myanmar was the
other gold winner on the day, thanks to its foursome of Khinmau
Myint, Phone Myint Tayzar, Kan Shwe and Aung Kyaw Moe in the
men's 1000m-K4 category.