SEA Championships gold sparks hopes for judoka in C’wealth Games

Joyous day: Judo exponents Amir Daniel Abdul Majeed (right) with national teammate Ivan Ong.

PETALING JAYA: National judoka Amir Daniel Abdul Majeed heads into the Commonwealth Games brimming with confidence after capturing gold at the South-East Asia (SEA) Championships in Bac Ninh City, Vietnam.

The 21-year-old overcame a Vietnamese opponent in the men’s 81kg final to deliver Malaysia’s only gold medal in the senior category.

The triumph further cemented Amir’s standing as one of the region’s leading judokas following his breakthrough success at last year’s Thailand SEA Games.

In Thailand, Amir ended Malaysia’s 44-year gold medal drought in judo by capturing the men’s 81kg title.

For Amir, the tournament in Vietnam served as an important step in his preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this July.

“I need competitions like this to assess my preparations for the Commonwealth Games. I hope to do even better and reach the final in my second Commonwealth Games appearance,” said Amir, who created history in Birmingham four years ago by becoming the first Malaysian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games medal after taking bronze in the men’s 73kg event.

The Penang-born athlete, who trains at Budo Academy Penang, identified Canada’s Francois Gauthier-Drapeau – currently ranked world No. 5 in the men’s 81kg division – as his biggest challenge in Glasgow.

Meanwhile, Ivan Ong added to Malaysia’s medal haul with bronze in the men’s 100kg senior category.

Khor Wei Ning-Qaleeda Izz’dika Rosidi also claimed bronze in the senior ju no kata event, while Tan Zhi Qian-Lee Chee Wah secured bronze in the senior katame no kata category.