SEA Games 2023: Winning run halted as Singapore fencing teams fall at s-final stage
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Thailand’s Bandhita Srinualnad (left) consoling Singapore’s Jessica Ong after the latter lost in the women’s team event on May 14.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
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PHNOM PENH – After dominating the individual events at the 2023 SEA Games, Singapore’s fencers saw their winning run halted abruptly on Sunday as the team events began.
The men’s epee team, champions at the Hanoi Games in 2022, fell in the semi-finals to Thailand.
The trio of Si To Jian Tong, Simon Lee and Bron Sheum lost 44-37 and had to settle for the joint-bronze alongside the Philippines.
Si To had won the individual gold on Thursday while Lee claimed the joint-bronze.
All three men looked dejected afterwards, with Si To labelling it a bad performance.
Lee blamed himself and added: “It wasn’t at the level we’re happy with. I could have fenced much better too.”
Vietnam later beat the Thais 45-33 to clinch the gold.
In the women’s sabre, Juliet Heng, Jessica Ong, Nicole Wee and Jean Koh lost 45-42 to Vietnam in the semi-finals and had to settle for the joint-bronze.
Heng had won the individual women’s gold on Thursday, beating Ong in the final.
Ong said she was proud of her teammates despite falling short.
The 23-year-old has been struggling with an injury and intended to retire after these Games but said: “I’m not the kind of person who can step away with just a silver or bronze. I still want that gold medal.”
Vietnam eventually claimed the team gold, beating the Philippines 45-36 in the final at Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Singapore’s Juliet Heng (left) during the Women’s Sabre Category.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Fencing Singapore technical director Marko Milic described the two defeats as a “small bump”.
He is confident the rest of the squad will bounce back and continue the momentum created from the first three days.
He acknowledged their rivals were perhaps more fired up, having seen Singapore complete a near sweep of the individual golds and saw the team events as a way to reassert their authority.
“We’ve seen the quality our fencers have,” he noted.
“This was a bad day but it happens. We will move on quickly.”
The women’s foil and men’s sabre team events will be contested on Monday.
Maxine Wong had won the foil title on Friday, following a walkover when her opponent Samantha Catantan of the Philippines could not compete due to an injury.
Thailand’s Bandhita Srinualnad (left) consoling Singapore’s Jessica Ong after the latter lost the Women’s team event on May 14.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Catantan’s absence is also a blow to her country, who are the main threats to defending champions Singapore. Vietnam will be favourites to retain their men’s sabre team title.
The Republic have dominated the individual events in Phnom Penh.
They captured five of the six titles, missing out only on the men’s sabre crown.
At the Hanoi Games just a year ago, Singapore’s fencers collected six gold, four silver and five bronze medals to finish as the top performing nation.
