SABAH dominated the final of yesterday's 3rd Borneo Games badminton tournament after winning three events.

Having already won the women's team event on Tuesday after defeating East Kalimantan 3-1 at the Multipurpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas, Sabah end the tournament with four gold, two silver and one bronze

medal in the sport. It was no surprise though, as the defending champions at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) had several Malaysian national players in their side.

East Kalimantan also proved to be a force to be reckoned with, finishing with three gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

Florah Ng Siew Fong beat teammate Soong Fei Cho 21-6, 21-8 to hand Sabah a one-two finish in the women's singles, with East Kalimantan finishing third after Sandarawati Wijaya defeated Brunei's Farina Afida 21-11, 21-11.

Sabah's women's pair also enjoyed success after beating East Kalimantan 21-18, 21-10.

Sabah were represented by Amelia Alicia and Marlylen Ng Paou while Rintan Apriliani and Lidiawati Limanto flew the flag for the Indonesians.

East Kalimantan also took home bronze in the event when Indarti Isolina and Wijaya beat the Bruneian duo of Siti Marinah and Farina 21-5, 21-9.

Alicia also won gold in the mixed doubles when she partnered Vonuntus Indramawan to beat East Kalimantan's Yusuf Ahmad and Limanto 21-15, 21-15.

East Kalimantan finished with bronze once again after Dewi Setiawaan and Isolina beat Sabah's Sunny Lee and Soong 9-21, 21-12, 21-19.

East Kalimantan ruled the men's categories though, sweeping all three men's events.

They won the men's team event on Tuesday after beating Sabah, with Brunei having to settle for bronze.

Dewi won the singles after beating teammate Teguh Siswanto 21-15, 21-8 in yesterday's final, while Sarawak's Vong Wiang Wei defeated Sabah's Datu Md Shahrin Nizi 21-9, 21-10 to win bronze.

In the men's doubles, Yusuf and Rihart Noverati disposed of Sarawak's Vong and Liew Chee Ing 21-13, 21-16 in the final.

Sabah's Indramawan and Calvin Ong beat teammates Nir Fadli Md Said and Lee 21-18, 21-17 to clinch bronze.

Brunei's haul of two bronze medals in the men's and women's team events is slightly better than the last edition of the Games in Kuching two years ago where they won one bronze medal from the women's doubles event.

They finished with one silver from the men's team event and two bronze medals from the men's doubles and mixed doubles events in the inaugural edition in Sabah in 2005.

Courtesy from Brunei Times