ARCHER Cheng Chu Sian has a chance to make amends for letting down Malaysia in the team competition after progressing to the last 16 of the individual competition at the Olympic Green Archery Field yesterday.
The Korat SEA Games gold medallist is the only Malaysian still in contention after the elimination of Mohd Marbawi Sulaiman and Wan Khalmizam Wan Abdul Aziz in the first round.
The 22-year-old Chu Sian eliminated Australian Gary Matthew 109-101 in the first round and went on to defeat Finland's Matti Hatava 110-103.
Chu Sian, who was placed 26th in the ranking rounds last Saturday, did not shoot lower than an eight in both encounters yesterday and will be hoping to bring his steady form into his match against his toughest opposition yet, South Korean Lee Chang-hwan.
However, nervousness got the better of Marbawi and Wan Khalmizam and they crumbled in the final stage of their first-round matches.
Marbawi led Taiwan's Chen Szu-yuan by three points going into the fourth and final end at 80-77. But the 2003 SEA Games gold medallist had no answer when his opponent hit perfect 10s on the last three arrows.
Marbawi only managed 26 from his last three arrows and bowed out 106-107.
Khalmizam failed to justify his position as the fifth ranked archer of the competition and was beaten by Romania's Aleaxandru Bodnar even though he held three-point lead going into the final end. Bodnar managed two 10s to edge Khalmizam by 106-105.
South Korea's bid to add the men's individual gold medal to the team title they won on Monday remained strong with all three representatives advancing to the round of 16.
Reigning world champion Im Dong-hyun beat Richard Johnson of United States 115-106 while Park Kyung-mo defeated Taiwan's Kuo Cheng-wei 111-110 in their second-round matches.
Defending Olympic champion Marco Galiazzo of Italy was among the second-round casualties. He fell 109-110 to Alan Wills of Britain.
sources : The Star
