Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Muaythai exponents had their best ever outing at the XXI Malaysian Games (Sukma) in Sarawak with their record haul of five golds, three silvers and two bronzes.
Their gold medal winners were Angie Yan Jia Chi (art solo), Ezzevelle Myora Jerry and Myra Arina Roslan (art duo), Eva Anastasia Warren (muaythai 45-48kg), Stacy Poong Dai Hee (muaythai 54-57kg) and Hellmi Samsir (muaythai 67-71kg).
The silvers came from Mohd Rahmad Ali Chandra (muaythai 42-45kg), Muhd Iftikharsyahlan As Roslan (art solo), Asyraf Danial Abd Latif and Marshall Jayden Jerry (art duo), while the bronzes were won by Nur Insyirah Mandol (muaythai 42-45kg) and Elfon Jaidin(muaythai 57-60kg).
At the last Sukma held in Kuala Lumpur in 2022, they only managed two golds, two silvers and three bronzes.
Sabah Muaythai Association president Nazri Razak credited the success to the joint effort by the athletes and coaches.
“I am very proud of the achievements of our muaythai athletes and the programme implemented by the coaches in preparation for this Sukma.
“This edition was the most fruitful for us with the number of medals delivered. Several of them are set to join the national team based on their excellence performance and achievements,” he said on Wednesday.
He added that they will not rest on their laurels and will continue to implement their programme in preparation for the IFMA World Championship scheduled in September in Bangkok, Thailand as well as the next Sabah Games and Malaysian Games.
Meanwhile, head coach Cyrille Dhillon Tahing congratulated the team and said hard work paid off with the success.
“I am very happy and satisfied with the results. Congratulations to all the medal winners. Their success not only reflects their abilities but would also inspire all muaythai fans in the State.
“It is a major help in our effort to develop the sport and we will be more committed to produce more quality athletes to represent the State and the country.
“This achievement is due to the commitment and hard work from all the parties involved. I would like to thank MSN (Sabah Sports Council), KBS (Youth and Sports Ministry) and especially our coaches who have worked extremely hard for the team,” he added.
