Muaythai wonder Yan Jia Chi edges out opponent to bring home another gold for Sabah in Sukma XXI

KUCHING (Aug 19): Sabah’s multiple world champion Yan Jia Chi proved too strong for her opponent as she led the state Muaythai team to win two golds in Bintulu today.

As expected, she won the Women’s Waikru solo gold after trouncing Sarawak’s Nur Iklil Zarifah Mohamad Affandi in the finals.

The 20-year-old scored 9.70 points to Nur Iklil’s 9.30.

Sabah’s second gold came from the Women’s Mai Muaythai duo athletes Jezzevelle Myora Jerry and Myra Arina Roslan, where they scored 9.30 to narrowly edge Sarawak’s pair Ain Arisya Zulkeplie and Nur Arifah Mahsunah Baharom by 0.03 points.

There could have been more gold medals for Sabah but Asyraf Danial Abdul Latif/Marshall Jayden Jerry (Men’s Mai Muaythai Duo) and Muhammad Iktikharsyahlan As Roslan Zakaria (Men’s Wai Kru Solo) went down to their Sarawak opponents in both finals to settle for the silvers.

Sabah Muaythai head coach Cyrille Dhillon Tahing was pleased with the outcome of despite missing out on the other two golds.

“We have to accept the results and overall, I am satisfied with the achievement. Our athletes showed very good performance, displaying qualities in top-level competition.

“Our fight is not over yet. There are still four more combat categories to be contested on August 20 and we will try our best to win more gold medals,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sabah athletics team could not build on Ku Yee Aleng’s golden start in the women’s High Jump after concluding the opening day with two silvers and one bronze at the Sarawak Stadium.

Pang Hong Seng won the men’s shot put silver with 14.38m while Jonah Chang Rigan of Sarawak won the gold with a new Sukma record of 17.66m. Wan Muhammad Irfan Wan Mohd Tahar took the bronze with 13.83m.

The other silver was from the 4x400m Mixed Relay where the state quartet clocked 3:35.65s to finish second behind Johor (3:32.67s) while Perak with the bronze in 3:37.94s.

Eljoe Gotuoh bagged a bronze in the men’s Triple Jump with 14.71m while the gold and silver went to Mohd Shah Sholihin Azshar of Perak (15.41m) and Muhammad Izzul Haniff Mohd Raffi of Selangor (14.71m).

In the 100m finals, Sabah’s Dexter Bedie Samuel and Hanssen Yap finished fifth and sixth respectively in the men’s event in 10.71s and 10.75s while Theresia Anastasius came fifth in the women’s final in 12.41s.

Sabah other medals on Monday were weightlifting through Irene Jane Henry (silver) and Mark Dylan Marcus (bronze); BMX rider Farisha Nur Umairah Zairi (bronze); and swimmer Emmanuel Loh (bronze).