Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
NATIONAL cueist Ahmad Taufiq Murni missed out on a podium finish at the 30th SEA Games after falling 9-7 to Vietnam’s Do The Kien in the quarter-finals of the 9-ball singles event yesterday.
Taufiq look set for his first semi-finals appearance and a confirmed podium finish leading most of the way.
It was down to 7-5 in the Race to 9 match before his opponent rallied to win four straight enroute to victory at the Manila Hotel.
“I thought I played good but in the end it was my break that let me down, said Taufiq in an interview with BruSports News after the defeat.
“Overall I think it’s about improving my mental strength to be better,” he added.
This was the second time that Taufiq came close to a medal at the biennial Games having teamed up with Md Azim Abu Bakar in the 10-ball doubles event.
They put up a good showing but were eventually edged 9-8 by Jeffry Ignacio and Warren Kiamco of the Philippines in the quarter-finals last Tuesday.
National cue sports coach Lim Tat Hwe was satisfied with the performance of his charges but feels they will require more outside exposure.
“I’m satisfied with their performance because they put up a good fight against their opponents especially in the 9-ball doubles event,” said Lim.
“Part of the programme is that I hope that our cueists will be able to the Philippines a few times in a year for sparring and training.
“Because that will really raise the standard of their game. But it cannot be like going just one month before the competition,” he concluded.
