Tough fight: C. Shahmalarani (left) in action against Iran’s Sara Bahmanyar during the women’s kumite below 50kg bout. — AFP
THE hope was on the shoulders of karate exponent C. Shahmalarani to end Malaysia’s campaign in the Asian Games by at least equalling last edition’s seven-gold medal finish but she fell short.
Malaysia won seven golds at the last edition in Indonesia.
The Cambodia SEA Games champion Shahmalarani, who was the last Malaysian athlete to see action in the Games, defeated Bangladesh’s Jaman Saiama 3-2 in the first round but met her match in Iranian Sara Bahmanyar in the second round of the women’s kumite below 50kg event yesterday.
The 25-year-old fell 3-7 to the Iranian, a bronze medallist at the 2018 world championships in Madrid, in the last-16 stage.
While Malaysia ended the Games with a medal haul of 6-8-18, the achievement of one gold and two silvers from karate is considered the best after 15 years by the Malaysian Karate Association (Makaf) and indeed it was a campaign to remember.
Mohd Arif Afifuddin Malik had contributed the sixth and last gold for Malaysia after winning the men’s kumite below 84kg category on Saturday and the 23-year-old was in the spotlight again when he carried the flag for Malaysia in the closing ceremony last night.
Lovelly Anne Robberth, Naccy Nelly Evvaferra and Niathalia Sherawinnie Yampil had won the team silver while Lovelly went on two win the individual silver too.
Makaf president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad described the achievement as the best at the Asian Games in almost a decade and said they want to build on the success by establishing karate academies in each zone including Sabah and Sarawak to boost the development of the sport.
“The academy is a necessity at this time to prepare back-up athletes so that they can take over from the seniors,” said Azmi.
“I will bring former athletes who have contributed medals for the national teams to operate the academy that will be established to ensure karate can continue to excel at the multi Games. Our target is for the 2027 SEA Games where we want more young athletes to win medals for the country.
“Towards this end, we also hope the National Sports Council and the Youth and Sports Ministry can help Makaf to raise the standard of the sport.”
Karate only managed to win one bronze medal at the last Asiad in Indonesia through S. Prem Kumar in the men’s below 60kg category. Women
RESULTS
Kumite below 50kg
First round: C. Shahmalarani bt Jaman Saiama (Ban) 3-2.
Second round: Lost to Sara Bahmanyar (Irn) 3-7.
