Taekwondo athletes return with six golds
Published on: Wed, Jul 23, 2025
By: GL Oh Text Size: Members of Papar Wira ITF Taekwon-Do Club at the competition venue. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah State ITF Taekwon-Do Association (PTNSITF) finished sixth overall in the 2nd Kedah Open Legends Taekwondo Championship held at the Village Mall in Sungai Petani, Kedah recently. They took home a total of six gold, eight silver and 18 bronze medals. The gold medal winners were Azizudin Azlee (individual sparing and pattern), Mohamad Aisy Mikhael Mohd Elhmie Adfezan (individual pattern), Putri Aleeya Maisarah Al Sabah (individual pattern) and Izzul Faid Hafizh Muhammad Fikri (individual sparing and pattern). The State team were represented by 30 members from the Papar Wira ITF Taekwon-Do Club and 27 of them were students from SK Surati (9), SK Buang Sayang (6), SK ST Joseph (1), SK Agama SRITI (1), SMK Majakir (7) and SMK Takis (3) from the Papar district. A total of 500 participants from 23 clubs throughout the country took part in the tournament organised by the Kedah ITF Taekwon-Do Association. Osmaiza Osman, who led the contingent praised all the athletes for their commitment, and hope they will continue to work hard in upcoming tournaments, while head coach Mohammad Fitri Mahmud said the athletes have shown great potential. 'It was a good outing but it is still a long journey ahead for them. They must keep fighting and never give up. 'To those who failed to win medals, it was a good lesson and hope it will spur them to train harder for future competition,' he said. Meanwhile, club president Wera @ Azlan Ali was also pleased with the team's overall performance. 'All of our athletes have displayed good discipline throughout the competition and performed very well to win medals for the State as well as giving strong challenges to athletes from other clubs. 'I hope this tournament served as a valuable platform for them to gain experience and develop their skills further,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
20 hours ago
- Daily Express
120 students join football clinic led by Sabah legends
Published on: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 30, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Former state players, organisers along with students who participated in the programme. RANAU: A total of 120 students from all over the district participated in a two-day Basic Football Clinic under former Sabah State Players held here recently. The programme led by legendary Sabah striker, Datuk James Wong also lined up players who were very popular in the 90s such as Yap Wai Loon, Harun Laban, Henry Anjun, Gerald Mojilu, and several other former state players. The programme held at SMK Lohan involved 40 female students and 80 male students from four schools, namely SMK Ranau, SMK Mat Salleh, SMK Lohan, and SMK Kundasang. The Chairman of the Ranau Clasico Team who is also the Ranau Zone Programme Coordinator, Romzie @ Likad Muhamad said the Basic Football Clinic was held to unearth talents to be promoted to higher levels. 'We are always trying to find talented young boys and girls from the age of 13-15 who are seen to have high interest and talent in this sport. 'We hope that through organising this kind of event, it will open up opportunities for anyone who has dreams of becoming a good football player to come forward and showcase themselves. 'This program will also continue to be held in the future with more participation from the target group and at the same time identify potential players in this district,' he said. As a future plan, Romzie said that talented players will be called to participate in training in Kota Kinabalu and will then be developed to a higher level. He expressed his well wishes and congratulations, especially to all the students who have attended the programme, which is rarely held here, and hoped that they gained valuable experience through the programme. He also thanked the Organising Committee, and especially to the former state players who have donated their time, energy and experience to make the program a success. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
20 hours ago
- Daily Express
Sabah Muaythai clinch third national title
Published on: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 30, 2025 By: GL Oh Text Size: The State Muaythai contingent with officials after the closing ceremony. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Muaythai once again proved their dominance on the national stage by capturing the overall title at the National Muaythai Championship, held in conjunction with the National Martial Arts Championship at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, over the weekend. The state team claimed the overall crown for the third consecutive year with an impressive medal haul: 24 gold, 10 silver, and 25 bronze. Adding to their triumph, four Sabah athletes were recognised as best performers in their respective categories: Ariesya Dania (Best Cultural Performance) Mohd Faliq (Best Male Boxer, Age 8–9) Dazaizy Hafiy (Best Male Boxer, Age 12–13) Kerry Dryan (Best Male Boxer, Age 16–17) Sabah Muaythai Association President, Haji Nazri Ab Razak, expressed pride in the team's performance and attributed the success to the collective effort of athletes, coaches, and families. 'Each medal represents countless hours of training and sacrifice. I'm extremely proud of how our team carried the Sabah name and spirit, proving once again we are a force to be reckoned with in Malaysian Muaythai,' he said. He also extended gratitude to parents and families, acknowledging their behind-the-scenes contributions. Head coach Cyrille Dhillon Tahing highlighted the long-term vision behind the team's success. 'We've spent years building Muaythai from the grassroots—through schools, local clubs, and statewide programs. This result is a direct outcome of strategic planning and the mental toughness of our fighters,' he said. Vice President Ahmad Ridwan Ghazali thanked the Sabah Sports Council and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for their continued support. He said the victory further cements Sabah's position as a powerhouse in Malaysian Muaythai and hopes it will inspire a new generation of athletes to continue the legacy. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
Youth age cap at 30 not for Sabah
Published on: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 29, 2025 By: Jonathan Nicholas Text Size: 'Age isn't the issue. It's your maturity and personality that count,' said Fairuz. Kota Kinabalu: The national youth age cap at 30 won't work in the State, said Sabah Assistant Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Fairuz Renddan (pic). 'The policy never really fit in the first place because we're already used to the age cap at 40. 'Maybe it makes sense in KL, but not here,' he said, adding that Sarawak holds the same stance. 'This idea has been around since Khairy Jamaluddin, Syed Saddiq, Reezal Merican, and now Hannah Yeoh but Sabah and Sarawak don't see the need,' he said. The federal law, passed by Parliament in 2019, has already been postponed twice and is now in its third extension. Fairuz believes enforcing it in Sabah could be counterproductive. 'We're not like the older generation where people at 35 were already stable and matured. 'Today, even in their 30s or 40s, people are still finding their sense of direction. Youth clubs hardly see new members in their early 20s. Most are in their late 20s or above,' he added. He also dismissed claims that Sabah would be left behind if it doesn't follow the federal move as opined by Federal Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. 'We already have the Sabah Youth Development Enactment being developed with the Sabah Youth Council (MBS) tackling the transition issues,' he said. The enactment notes that only 15pc of Sabah youth are in formal groups, with policies shaped to suit the State's diverse social and cultural context. 'Age isn't the issue. It's your maturity and personality that count,' said Fairuz. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
