KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah congratulated the country’s two top squash players Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari for winning the men’s and women’s individual gold medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games yesterday.

The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah also shared a similar congratulatory message on the Palace’s Instagram page.

Eain Yow lived up to expectations by winning the men’s individual gold after beating Saurav Ghosal from India 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 in a thrilling match that lasted 72 minutes.

The win by Eain Yow ended a 13-year drought for gold in the Asian Games since Ong Beng Hee’s double-gold feat in 2002 and 2006 as well as Mohd Azlan Iskandar’s victory in 2010.

Meanwhile, Sivasangari had to endure a mammoth battle against Hong Kong ace Chan Sin Yuk before emerging with an 8-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10 victory after five thrilling games that lasted for 64 minutes to claim the women’s individual gold.

The gold from the individual event was the second gold medal won by Sivasangari after having won the women’s team gold on Saturday.

The Malaysian contingent that went to Hangzhou with a target of 27 medals have since surpassed that target after winning 28 medals thus far and the number may increase with two days of competition remaining before the 2022 Asian Games draws down its curtains in Hangzhou. — Bernama