SEA Games: Synchronised swimmers Debbie Soh and Miya Yong clinch Singapore's second gold

KUALA LUMPUR — Revenge certainly tasted extra sweet for Team Singapore’s synchronised swimmers Debbie Soh and Miya Yong on Friday (Aug 18), as the Singaporean pair turned the tables on their Malaysians rivals by beating them to gold in the duet technical routine.

Just a day earlier, Soh lost the solo technical routine gold to Malaysia’s Gan Hua Wei by only 0.1333 points. The result also denied the Singaporeans – and in particular 19-year-old Soh – of their second gold at the SEA Games.

Back in the pool for the duet technical routine, Soh and Miya delivered a crowd-pleasing performance that scored a total of 75.1791. With only the Malaysian pair of Gan and Lee Yhing Huey and Indonesians Anisa Feritrianti and Claudia Megawati Suyanto left in the line-up, the Singaporeans had to wait to see if their score was good enough for gold.

With the roar and cheers of the home crowd behind them, the Malaysians had appeared primed for top spot after an entertaining routine, but their score of 74.3659 saw them settling for silver. Anisa and Claudia clinched the bronze in 68.9504.

The victory was even sweeter as Lee is part of the duet that won gold at the SEA Games in Singapore two years ago.

"At the previous SEA Games, our previous pair got the silver and lost to Malaysia," said Soh. "But at this Games, we were finally able to beat Malaysia for the first time in a duet event. So this gold means a lot to us."

Yong added: "We're really happy to be able to win this medal for Singapore. We would really like to thank our coaches and the Singapore Swimming Association."

This is also Soh's second gold of the SEA Games. The 19-year-old won Singapore's first gold of the KL Games on Thursday (Aug 17) when she came out tops in the solo free routine, beating Malaysia's Lee.

Lee was disappointed to miss out on gold for the second time at the SEA Games after finishing second behind Soh in the solo free routine on Thursday. “I was confident we would get high marks because we did well as a pair,” she said.

“Sadly it is a subjective sport and we cannot control what the judges’ scoring. I am a little sad (at this double blow) but luck was just not on my side this time.”

Gan, who shed tears in the mixed zone after the victory ceremony, added: “We’ll just have to train harder for our next event on Sunday and we are looking forward to the next gold medal.”

With this second gold, Singapore's synchronised swimmers have equaled their haul from the 2015 SEA Games.

Buoyed by their promising results at the Fina World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in July, where they finished higher than Malaysia in four events, Singapore came to KL looking to win five gold medals but that plan was thwarted by Gan on Thursday night.

Still, there are two more golds at stake and Soh will team up with Yong again on Sunday afternoon for Duet Free Routine, where they will renew their rivalry against the Malaysians.

Both athletes will then combine with the rest of their teammates to vy for the Team Free Routine gold on Sunday night.