Sailing: Singapore second and fourth in team event at Asian Optimist Championships

Singapore's young sailors posted a second- and fourth-place finish at the team event of the Asian Optimist Championships in Bahrain on Thursday, relinquishing their title at the annual regatta.

Strong gusts of up to 20 knots made it difficult for the light wind specialists, giving China a 2-0 win in the final over Singapore's Team One, made up of Samuel Neo, Lu Junrui, Koh Yi Nian, Issac Tang and Ryan Kwok.

Japan took the bronze in the event, which was contested by 16 teams. Singapore's Team Two, made up of Phua Shyn Ee, Jodie Lai, James Koh, Raynn Kwok and Marsha Shahrin, finished fourth.

The Republic are also playing catch up in the 124-strong individual event. Lu Junrui is Singapore's top performer at sixth place, seven points behind China's Yu Huijia (11) and Thailand's Suthon Yampinid (12) and Voravond Rachrattanaruk (14).

The Republic are the traditional world powerhouses in the sailing class for juniors aged 15 and under, posting a one-two finish in the same event last year, and also clinching the individual title. Singapore have also produced team and individual champions at the past three Optimist world championships.

The Asian Optimist Championships ends on Saturday.

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