Unstoppable Sarawak: Four More Gold Medals Cement Taekwondo Supremacy At Sukma 2024

By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

KUCHING, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Sarawak continued its reign in taekwondo at the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA), claiming four out of the six gold medals contested on the third day of competition held at the Unity Stadium here today. 

Despite a three-hour delay in the early rounds due to technical issues, which pushed the finals to the evening, Sarawak's contingent remained unfazed.

They began their gold medal haul with Pretty Amisha Amanda Anak Francesca's victory in the women’s +73kg category, downing Selangor’s Nurul Aesyah Aqilah Mohd Sukeri 2-0.

This set the tone for the host state, driving Puteri Durratun Zulaikha Samat to secure the gold in the women’s -73kg category, overcoming Terengganu’s Fu Chervyn 2-0.

Sarawak's dominance continued with Aj Ong Yang Yi capturing the men’s -87kg gold, after he took down the Federal Territories' Nur Putra Adam Azlan Noor Azlan 2-0, marking the state’s tenth taekwondo gold.

Mohamad Zulhafiz Zulhadi for Sthen added another gold in the men’s +87kg category, outclassing FT’s Lim Jia Wei with a 2-0 win.

However, Sarawak's quest for another gold in the women’s -67kg category was thwarted as Christine Li Ying Zhen fell 0-2 to Perlis' Nadia Aina Syazwani Ishak, who secured her state’s third taekwondo gold, having already won two in poomsae.

Meanwhile, the FT clinched their first taekwondo gold of the competition through Keng Xian Hong, who defeated Negeri Sembilan’s Muhammad Adam Hafiz Azman 2-0 in the men’s -80kg category.

With two days left before the competition ends on Tuesday, Sarawak lead the taekwondo medal haul, bolstered by their seven golds in the Poomsae category.

-- BERNAMA.