Singapore hurdler Ang Chen Xiang (centre) wins joint-gold with Thailand's Natthaphon Dansungnoen (left) in the men's 110m hurdles at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTO: SNOC/Lim Weixiang)

SINGAPORE — For three hours on Wednesday (10 May), Singapore hurdler Ang Chen Xiang's SEA Gamesmedal colour was uncertain. Was he second in his men's 110m hurdles race following a photo finish, or were the actual photos inconclusive?

Finally, the race organisers at the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh announced that the 28-year-old had received an upgrade from silver to a joint-gold medal with Thailand's Natthaphon Dansungnoen, after photos proved inconclusive that either had won.

Singapore Athletics had protested the original decision to award Ang the silver medal. The protest was rejected, but the case went to a convened jury, which decided to award to the joint-gold.

And so Ang - who had won silver in the same event at last year's Hanoi Games - became the first Singaporean to win gold in the men's hurdles since Osman Merican did it way back at the 1967 Bangkok Games.

The 28-year-old clocked the same 13.831sec with Natthaphon, and broke his 13.89sec national record set just last month. Filipino John Cabang was also close behind in third (13.855sec).