By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 23: Kuching-born silat exponent Abdul Latif Maxzakir ended a 20-year wait for Sarawak and the Sarawak Silat Federation (RSS) by clinching a gold medal at the 20th World Pencak Silat Championship 2024 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, yesterday (Dec 22).
This victory makes 25-year-old Abdul Latif the fourth Sarawakian to ever claim the ‘World Champion’ title.
Abdul Latif defeated his Vietnamese opponent, Nguyen Duy Tuyen, in the Senior Male H (80-85kg) category.
According to RSS, Abdul Latif is the son of former 1994 World Champion Maxzakir Othman.
He carries the same fighting spirit as his father and has endured a long and challenging journey to finally earn the title of ‘World Champ’, TVS reported.
In related news, silat debutant Ummi Mashitah Hassan from Miri impressed on her first appearance at the world championship, claiming the title of world runner-up after competing against Vietnam’s Le Thi Van Anh in the Senior Female C (55-60kg) category.
Ummi, who is just 21 years old, previously showcased her exceptional performance at the 21st Sarawak Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024 by winning a gold medal in the Senior Women’s B (50-55kg) category.
She was subsequently scouted by the Malaysian National Silat Federation (PESAKA) to join the national team.
Sarawak and Malaysia also gained international attention after Sarawak-based referee Arnidawati Kassim was named the Best Female Referee in the World during the championship.
For the record, Malaysia has previously claimed multiple World Champion titles through Sarawakian athletes, including Ramlee Ahmad in 1992 (Jakarta, Indonesia), Maxzakir Othman in 1994 (Hat Yai, Thailand), and Abang Erdie in 2004 (Singapore).
In this year’s championship, the national pencak silat squad brought home six gold medals, nine silvers, and four bronzes. — DayakDaily
