Hashim wins badminton gold

04 August 2002

The third-ranked Malaysian, Hashim Muhammad, won gold in the men's singles beating team-mate Lee Tsueng Seng in a five-set final.

Courting action at Bolton Arena

Number three seed Hashim won the first two sets 7-3, 7-1 in 14 minutes at the Bolton Arena. His casual almost lazy-looking style of play deceptive in its effectiveness.

Lee, the number 2 seed, normally an agressive attacker, looked subdued and made untimely errors at critical points during the opening two sets, but hit back in the third to win 7-3.

At 7-7 in the fourth set Hashim killed a loose block from Lee wide missing the easiest of chances to wrap up the match. A Hashim error then handed Lee the next point enabling the left-hander to draw the match at a level 2-2.

Both players looked tired in the fifth and Lee struggled to raise his game consistenly making more unforced errors than Hashim, whose steadier play eased him to a 7-4 final game victory.

Hashim commented: "I feel so happy. It is my first time at the Commonwealth Games."

Lee fell to his knees looking exhausted after handing the gold to Hashim when he played a weak drop shot into the net leaving the 19-year-old opponent on his back, fists clenched in the air.