REPORT | Outstanding Results for Team DanceSport KLDSA in 2018 Star Cup, Bologna, Italy

From Left: Che Xin Nee, Chua Zjen Thak, Evon Chong, Chua Zjen Fong, Yap Chi Yew, Yap Chin Yee

Bologna | The KLDSA team has sent 3 couples to Bologna, Italy to compete in the 2018 Star Championship. The team consisted of 6 athletes, Chua Zjen Fong, Evon Chong, Chua Zjen Thak, Che Xin Nee, Yap Chin Yee and Yap Chi Yew. The Star Championship took place on the 22nd to the 25th of March. The competition is also the first European competition of the year 2018 for the KLDSA team. The athletes arrived a few days prior to the competition for training and private classes with the world champions, Gabriele Goffredo and his partner Anna Matus as well as Benedetto and wife, Claudia for the Standard training. There were 3 more Malaysian couples that took part in this championship that made up the entire Team DanceSport Malaysia for this championship. Edwin Teo Chee Seng & Kimberly Tan were among the earliest to arrived in Bologna for training. Lim Yee Loon & Kek Xin Hui and Lee Yao Loeng & Low Tzyy Yi arrived one prior to the championship.

From Left: Chua Zjen Thak, Yap Chin Yee, Chua Zjen Fong, Gabrielle Goffredo, Anna Matus, Evon Chong, Che Xin Nee, Yap Chi Yew

It is the first professional debut for Chua Zjen Fong and his partner Evon Chong that turned professional earlier this year. The duo took part in the WDSF Super Grand Prix PD Latin with a total of 41 couples taking part. Chua and Evon were placed 15th in the event which was very outstanding despite their first professional competition.

Dance couple Chua Zjen Thak and Che Xin Nee took part in a total number of 5 events. The first day event which was the WDSF Rising Stars Standard and WDSF Rising Stars Latin event. Out of 125 couples that took part. Zjen Thak and Xin Nee were the only Malaysian Couple that made it to the 2nd round for this event. The couple also took part in the Open A Class Adult Latin event with 53 couples taking part. Zjen Thak and Xin Nee made it to the 3rd round in this event which . The couple also participated in the WDSF World Open Standard and Latin event. For the standard event, there were a total of 197 couples in this event. For the Latin event, they were again the only Malaysian couple that made it to the 2nd round out of the 237 couples taking part.

As for Yap Chin Yee and his partner Yap Chi Yew, the couple took part in a total number of 6 events. On the first day of the competition the first event was the WDSF Open Youth Standard. The event had a total of 32 couples taking part. The couples' 2nd event which was the WDSF Open Youth Latin had a total number of 58 couples in this event. Chin Yee and Chi Yew made it to the 2nd round of the event. The third event that they took part in was the Youth Open A Class Latin. There were a total of 25 couples in the event. Chin Yee and Chi Yew made it to the 3rd round of the event and ranked 9th. On the second day of the competition, Chin Yee and Chi Yew took part in the WDSF Open Under 21 Standard. The event had a total of 39 couples taking part. On the last day of the competition, the couple took part in the WDSF Open Under 21 Latin. The event had an overall of 90 couples and Chin Yee and Chi Yew made it into the 2nd round. The couples' last event is the WDSF World Open Latin. This event had a total number of 237 couples and Chin Yee and Chi Yew made it into the 2nd round.

From Left: Yap Chin Yee, Yap Chi Yew, Evon Chong, Chua Zjen Fong, Claudia, Benedetto, Che Xin Nee, Chua Zjen Thak

In overall, the team had a tremendous improvement in the both Latin & Standard categories. "The team had improved so much since their training started here in late 2017 and we are happy with their results and we hope more improvement will come", said Anna Matus.

Team also met Mr. Cees Boutkan from Netherlands that quoted the Team KLDSA's big improvement and to keep up the good work.

The 6 athlete have done well for their first 2018 European competition. The team is targeting for 3 more European competitions this year and KLDSA's Team leader & head coach, Mr. Chua Zjen Fong is eyeing on the WDSF World Championships.