Maldives has won a second gold medal at the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) 2019.

11-year-old Fathmath Dheema Ali, 15-year-old Aishath Rafa Nazim won the finals of the women’s table tennis doubles event on Wednesday, after playing against another Maldivian pair Fathmath Jumana Nimal and Mueena Mohamed; who won silver.

This was the first time two Maldivian pairs competed in the finals of an international competition.

Rafa and Dheema won the game ins four straight sets; 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 and 11-9.

Jumana and Mueena advanced to the finals after beating Madagascar’s pair in four straight sets, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 and 12-10.

Young pair, Rafa and Dheema played against the host country Mauritius’ number one table tennis pair and won the game four sets to three. While the Mauritian pair took the first two sets, 11-2 and 11-9, however Dheema and Rafa went on two win the next three sets; 11-7, 16-14 and 12-10. However, Mauritius equalized the game after taking the sixth set with a score of 11 to 7.

Rafa and Dheema came out stronger in the seventh and final set, which ended 11-6.

With these gold and silver medals, the total number of medals won by the Maldivian contingent at IOIG 2019 has reached nine; Maldives won the same amount at IOIG 2015.