Aslim's Marhalim Hj Juni in action during yesterday's final of the National Petanque Championship against Army Team at the Petanque Pitch of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas. BT/Syarif Rasani
Aslim were crowned champions of yesterday's National Petanque Championship after beating Army Team 13-5.
Aslim's Marhalim Hj Juni and Masli Hj Mohd Said went through the whole tournament undefeated, winning four of their Group D matches followed by a 13-6 win over PD 3 in the quarter-finals and a tight 13-11 battle with Mastam in the semi-finals.
Army Team's Mohd Abdillah Tamin and Hj Mohd Sahmedeyn Hj Kahar also went undefeated in Group A and continued with a 13-2 thrashing over Ris-Hal before taking out Petanque Extreme 13-6 in the semi-finals of the tournament held in conjunction with Brunei's 30th National Day.
Marhalim admitted that it was difficult final for him and Masli at the Petanque Pitch of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas - especially since they know their opponents so well.
"From the semi-finals, from the start, it was all difficult because the rankings were almost the same," Marhalim told The Brunei Times.
"We always play with Abdillah and Hj Mohd. We are with them almost every day during practices and sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, so we're the same - which is the challenge.
"Our strategy was to keep the ball close or block them, and only after they finished their balls then we would find points.
"I'd like to say thanks to our families and friends and head coach (national coach) Somsak Juychunprasert who has trained us to succeed until this point," added Marhalim, who received a gold trophy and $300 cash prize.
Army Team walked away with a cash prize of $200 and silver trophies while Mastam and Petanque Extreme were awarded with bronze trophies and cash prize of $100.
The loser's bracket final saw One Shop's Hj Yusuf Mohamad and Hj Azwan Hj Besar dominate S Mix duo Kamalrudin Ahmad and Hj Abdul Karim Hj Ahmad 13-1 to claim the gold trophy and a $40 cash prize.
S Mix walked away with their silver trophies and $30 cash prize, while Limbang 1 and Limbang 2 received bronze trophies and a $20 cash prize. The two-day event saw 23 teams go all out in three groups of six and one group of five.
The Head Officer of the Department of Youth and Sports Mariam Ulat presented prizes.
