Feelgood factor helps Malaysia schoolgirl to gold

DOHA, Dec 11 (Reuters) Fifteen-year-old Rufina Tan smiled all the way to sailing gold at the Asian Games today, powered by the feelgood factor.

The Malaysian schoolgirl finished third in race 11 of the Optimist class at Doha Sailing Club, picking up enough points to guarantee gold before competing in tomorrow's final race.

''Before the competition I was 99.9 percent sure I was going to win gold, now I am 100 percent,'' she beamed.

''I will just go out tomorrow and continue, continue to learn more things.'' The Malaysian team travelled to Qatar with a team psychologist and his job was to keep the teenager smiling.

''We have a close relationship because we have heart to heart talks,'' Lim Boon Hui said of Tan.

''The important thing is to check the mood level... are they (sailors) happy? ''As a support team we are behind them when they are feeling down. I feel very proud... the happiness is great.'' REUTERS PDS KN2023