YOUNGSTERS Rifdean Masdor and Yan Jia Chi have left for Paris, hoping to outdo the Thais in their own sport – muay thai.
The martial art is being showcased as a demonstration sport at the Olympics this weekend.
A specially constructed muay thai stadium at Club France will host exponents from 24 countries, including Thailand, with the sport hoping for potential inclusion in future Olympics and Youth Olympics.
Sarawak-born Rifdean, 21, has bagged gold three times in the Under-23 World Championships from 2021 to 2023.
Rifdean, who now represents Perak, is also the men’s below 45kg gold medallist at the 2019 Philippines SEA Games and 2022 Sukma (Malaysia Games) champion.
Jia Chi, 19, is from Sabah but is already the current world champion in wai kru discipline (non sparring).
Jia Chi achieved the feat at the World Championships in Greece in June and is also the gold medallist from the World Combat Games in Saudi Arabia last year.
She has also won the Under-23 World Championships twice and will also be vying for glory for her state at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Kuching, Sarawak, later this month.
“Rifdean and Jia Chi will be taking up the two slots given to Malaysia to be part of the Olympics demonstration programme.
“These two have achieved a lot on the world stage and will be the best representatives for Malaysia,” said the Malaysia Muay Thai Association in a statement.
