Golden girl David leads Malaysia to women's team gold

GUANGZHOU: World number one Nicol David led Malaysia past Hong Kong to win the Asian Games women's team squash gold on Thursday as her country moved closer to a title clean-sweep.

World champion David, who had already defended her singles crown, defeated Annie Au 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 in a repeat of the women's final after Low Wee Wern had seen off Rebecca Chiu, the individual gold medallist at the 2002 Busan Asiad, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9 in the first match.

"It's a great feeling," said the 27-year-old David after the first team event ever held since her racquet sport made its Asian Games debut in Bangkok in 1998 when she won her first individual title.

"Everybody just kept working all the way. We have a strong team and we just needed to push out. The Malaysians are happy with what we have done."

David lost the individual title to Chiu in 2002 but recaptured the crown from her at the last Asian Games in Doha.

"No doubt they have a great team," David, who has won the World Open singles title for three straight years, said about the Hong Kong team. "They have the level of squash to reach the top 20."

"I knew it was going to be tough," said Low, currently ranked 16th in the world and three places above Chiu, who turned 32 the day before.

"She (Chiu) did a great job. When she got points in the second game, I knew I had to keep going."

India and South Korea won the team bronze medals as the semi-final losers to Malaysia and Hong Kong, respectively.

Malaysia, led by men's individual gold medallist Mohamad Azlan Iskandar, were to clash with Pakistan for the men's team title later in the day.