SEA Games Water Polo: Singapore beat Malaysia 15-7 to wrap up 24th straight games gold

By Les Tan/Red Sports

Palembang, Friday, November 18, 2011 — Singapore beat Malaysia 15-7 to win the country’s 24th straight South-east Asian (SEA) Games water polo gold medal. Singapore have won every SEA Games medal since the country’s independence in 1965.

Singapore finished the round-robin stage with a perfect 4-0 win-loss record to secure the gold. Philippines (3-1) won the silver while Indonesia (2-2) got the bronze. Thailand (1-3) was fourth while Malaysia (0-4) finished fifth and last. There is no knockout phase for water polo.

Singapore outscored their opponents 58-29 over the four games with their closest game coming in their 12-11 win over Indonesia.

“It was a breathtaking game of great intensity from both sides,” wrote Singapore team manager Samuel Wong on Facebook, referring to the game against Indonesia. “Our captain Eugene contributed [the] bulk of the goal counts which stabilised the team. Special credits have to be given to Nigel Tay, our goal keeper, who has again and again denied those offensive plays by the Indon team.”

Samuel also paid tribute to the team for pulling through despite having to juggle work and training.

“After the 2 intensive games with Philippines & Indonesia, what I saw in my team was a group of 13 players who have sacrificed (the) bulk of their time training rigorously in the pool, suffering from injuries, getting pressure from juggling between work & water polo,” Samuel also shared on Facebook.

“After the final whistle with Indonesia today, I can’t keep my emotion but to say this is the best S’pore Water Polo team I’ve ever taken. The number of bruises after each game just keep the team even more motivated as we know of our duty to do proud to our beloved Singapore! The victory is by no means easy. It’s great to work beside great coach like (Lim) Sai Meng & Thomas Hoad who have devoted big way to the team. Majulah Singapura!!!” said an exuberant Samuel.

According to The New Paper (Sat, Nov 19, 2011, p.58), captain Eugene Teo described this SEA Games as one of his hardest, describing it as the “closest shave we’ve ever gotten”.

At Asian Games level, Singapore have won a total of one gold, two silver and four bronze medals. Singapore’s last Asian Games water polo medal was a bronze at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games. Singapore finished sixth at the 2010 Asian Games.

Singapore Water Polo Squad
Eugene Teo Zhen Wei (Team Captain), Nigel Tay Sin Chao, Loh Zhi Zhi, Lin Diyan, Koh Jian Ying, Lin Diyang,
Paul Louis Tan Jwee Ann, Byron Quek Ruisheng, Lim Yao Xiang, Kelvin Ong Weisheng, Marcus Goh Chengwei, Brandon Chong Wei-Ren, Luo Nan

Results
Indonesia 15 Malaysia 6
Philippines 6 Thailand 4
Philippines 14 Malaysia 5
Thailand 15 Malaysia 4
Philippines 10 Indonesia 9
Indonesia 11 Thailand 7

Singapore Results
Singapore 15 Malaysia 7
1st Q: 5-2
2nd Q: 3-0
3rd Q: 4-2
4th Q: 3-3

Singapore scorers: Koh Jian Ying (2), Eugene Teo (1), Brandon Chong (1), Paul Tan (2), Lim Yaoxiang (1), Luo Nan (1), Marcus Goh (2), Kelvin Ong (2), Lin Diyang (2), Loh ZhiZhi (1)

Singapore 16 Thailand 6
1st Q: 4-1
2nd Q: 4-0
3rd Q: 3-3
4th Q: 5-2

Singapore Scorers: Eugene Teo (4), Brandon Chong (3), Paul Tan (2), Lim Yaoxiang (2), Marcus Goh (2), Luo Nan (1), Loh ZhiZhi (1), Lin Diyan (1)

Singapore 12 Indonesia 11
1st Q: 3-4
2nd Q: 4-3
3rd Q: 5-3
4th Q: 0-1

Singapore scorers: Eugene Teo (4), Paul Tan (3), Brandon Chong (2), Zhi Zhi (1), Luon Nan (1), Marcus Goh (1)

Singapore 15 Philippines 6
1st Q: 6-1
2nd Q: 8-1
3rd Q: 5-1
4th Q: 7-1

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