IT’S THE CHEMISTRY Tay (left) and Chung have now set their sights on the Olympics.

THEY could not be more different as a sailing couple.

Roy Tay, the more "offensive-minded" half, is constantly on the lookout for any opportunity to make the kill. Chung Pei Ming, who loves defence, always warns him about the possible obstacles.

But as the adage goes, opposites attract. And that chemistry helped the Singapore pair hold off a stiff challenge from the region's best sailors to clinch the gold medal in the men's 470 at the 24th SEA Games in Pattaya, Thailand.

The sailing competition ended on Friday here at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club.

Singapore's final medal haul in sailing numbered four gold, six silver and three bronze medals and it met the team's pre-Games target of four golds.

It also helped Singapore achieve its best "away" haul of 43 golds — one more than the 2005 Games — and its third best overall after 1993 (50 golds) and 1973 (45 golds).

Apart from the men's 470, Singapore also struck gold in the women's 470 (Dawn Liu and Elizabeth Tan), the 420 men's (Sherman Cheng and Justin Liu) and the Optimist girls (Rachel Lee).

Tay and Chung finished with 16 points, two less than silver medallists Ridgely Balladares and Rommel Chavez of the Philippines.

Myanmar's Aung Mying Thia and Sai Pyae Song Hein took the bronze (23 points).

Tay, the skipper, revealed a crucial tactical decision in Friday's penultimate 10th race — only 11 races were completed — turned the tide in their favour.

"After a while, it was between us and the Philippines for the gold," said Tay, 24.

"There were plenty of options, but we decided on a tactical manoeuvre that threw our opponents off course, causing them to lose speed.

"We just maintained our position and slowly edged further ahead to finish first."

That first-place finish proved vital, and even though they finished the final race fourth in the five-strong fleet, it was enough to secure gold.

It was Tay's first SEA Games gold, after a silver in 2001 (420 men's) and 2005 (470 men's with Chung), and Chung's second after winning the same event with Tan Wearn Haw in 2001.

Chung, 25, says the chemistry between them allowed the duo to make big tactical decisions as they did in the crucial 10th race. He said: "We are easy going and somehow, we think the same out on the water, too."

Added Tay: "Sure, we have arguments and during our early days as a team, there was a bit of tension as we would unwittingly over-step our scope of responsibility. Now, even though we sometimes have differences of opinion, we always talk about it and find a solution."

The pair's next target is the Olympic Games sailing competition in Qingdao, next year in China. Tay and Chung qualified after nabbing one of 20 available spots at the World Sailing Championship in Casçais, Portugal, in July.

"We had many disappointments, like not being selected for the 470s for last year's Asian Games," said Tay, who instead competed in the five-man keelboat match racing class at the Doha Games, where he won gold. "But we get over it and move on. Now, the next big target for us to get prepared for the Olympics."

Chung said: "Hopefully, we will do this kind of interview next year."

Read more stories on the 24th SEA Games here.