SEA Games: Malaysia enjoy most successful badminton outing since 1975

The Malaysian badminton team enjoyed a successful SEA Games campaign in the Philippines as they won three gold medals on Monday.

Besides surpassing the Badminton Association of Malaysia's (BAM) target of one gold, they also collected two silver and five bronze medals.

After picking up one silver and one bronze in men's and women's team events respectively, the Malaysian shuttlers showed a relentless spirit to reach four individual finals.

Lee Zii Jia took down Singapore's Malaysian-born Loh Kean Yew 21-18, 21-18 in the men's singles final, while rising women's singles star S. Kisona clinched the biggest win of her career when she beat Indonesia's Ruselli Hartawan 20-22, 21-14, 21-13

Men's doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who would be in action in the upcoming BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou, then overcame Thai duo Bodin Isara and Maneepong Jongjit 18-21, 21-15, 21-16 to clinch Malaysia's third badminton gold.

Malaysia almost made it four gold medals out of four, but Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai lost 19-21, 21-19, 21-23 in a close mixed doubles battle against Indonesia's Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti.

Indonesia also took home the women's doubles crown through Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu.

The last time Malaysia bagged three or more gold medals in badminton at the SEA Games was in 1975, when they won in women's doubles, women's doubles, mixed doubles and women's team.