KUCHING, Aug 22: Muay Thai athlete Mohammad Johan Ghazali Zulfikar, representing Sarawak, emerged champion at the 2022 International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) Youth World Championships held at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre in Selangor last Saturday (Aug 20).
Johan, representing the Malaysian Muaythai Association (PMM–Malaysia A), defeated Russian athlete Rustam Yunusob with a score of 20 to 18 in the 14-15 Men’s Under 60kg category.
The victory was made sweeter when the former SMK St Thomas Kuching student was also crowned ‘Best Boxer–Outstanding Male Athlete Award’ at the championships.
Meanwhile, Johan’s younger brother Muhammad Mikail Ghazali Zulfikar, who also represented PPM (Malaysia A), won gold in the IFMA World Muaythai Grand Slam category (Junior 12-13 Male Youth 36-40kg) and a bronze in the Junior 12-13 Men’s Under 40kg category.
Fellow Sarawakian athlete Texas Jeremy Lo, also representing PMM (Malaysia A), contributed a silver after losing to IFMA’s Russian fighter Sarkhan Alberov.
At the same time, Sarawakian sisters Nur Afiqah Musfirah Baharom and Nur Arifah Mahsunah Baharom won silver for the Wai Khru/Muay Boran category (Mae Muay open category).
Another female athlete from Sarawak is Nur Haina Aisyah Muhammad Haikal Jenil, who contributed silver in the IFMA Youth 30kg category.
According to a report by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas), Sarawak State Muaythai Association (PMNS) president Jumaat Ibrahim congratulated all Sarawakian athletes for their success at the tournament.
“Their success has proven that Sarawak can produce Muay Thai stars on par with international-level athletes.
“Their success also shows that all the development programmes planned by PMNS and supported by local Muay Thai clubs every year produce the expected results,” he said when contacted recently.
Jumaat also expressed gratitude for the support from the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED), Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC), Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS), and PMNS itself.
“I would also like to thank the PMM for trusting us by sponsoring Sarawak athletes to participate in this championship,” he added.
Jumaat also hopes Sarawak’s athletes will continue the same momentum at the coming Malaysian Games (Sukma) in Kuala Lumpur this September. — DayakDaily
