Host Malaysia revels in unprecedented victory

Host Malaysia revels in unprecedented victory

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysia reveled Monday in its first overall victory in the 42-year history of the Southeast Asian Games, previously dominated by Indonesia and Thailand.

"Just Brilliant," read the headline in The Sun newspaper sports pages.

"Centurions!" proclaimed The Star.

With the final events completed Monday, Malaysia had won 111 of the 390 gold medals. Thailand came second with 103 golds, Indonesia third with 72. Among the 10 competing countries, only Brunei failed to get a gold.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he had not expected Malaysia's gold medal haul to surpass the century mark as its target was only 80.

"But the spirit shown by the national athletes was very high," he was quoted as saying by the national news agency Bernama. "They really went all out."

There were expectations he might declare Tuesday a public holiday to mark the victory, as the government has done previously after good Malaysian performances in international sports events.

Mahathir was due to close the 21st Games at a spectacular ceremony at the National Stadium late Monday.

A spirit of nationalism has permeated the 10 days of the games, with chants and recorded songs of "Malaysia can do it!" echoing around arenas - although attendance has been low at many events.

The host team flopped at athletics, winning just eight of the 16 golds it targeted, and was edged by Thailand 1-0 in the keenly awaited soccer final - a big disappointment for 80,000 flag- waving fans hoping for Malaysia's first win in the event in 12 years.

But it has done well at most other sports, most notably: 16 golds in gymnastics, 10 golds in diving and synchronized swimming, and 23 golds in the martial arts of karate, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu.

Second-place Thailand did best in track and field with 22 golds, and got 13 in shooting, 12 in swimming, and 7 each in boxing and judo.

In its four-decade history, the SEA Games have been dominated by Thailand and Indonesia, which have won the overall title nine times each. In 1961 and 1969 it was won by Myanmar, then known as Burma.

But sports officials have voiced concern that the games, now with 32 sports, have become bloated with too many obscure ones. The events include billiards, rhythmic gymnastics, mountain biking and three kinds of bowling - tenpin, lawn bowls and petanque.

At the opening ceremony, Imran Ibni Tuanku Ja'afar, president of the SEA Games Federation, said he was not convinced that standards have improved since the games started in 1959, and added that they have significantly declined" in some sports.