KUALA LUMPUR: Karate exponent C. Shahmalarani’s golden triumph at the Southeast Asia Karate Federation (SEAKF) Championships could not have come at a better time.
The 27-year-old emerged as Malaysia’s only senior gold medallist in Hanoi, Vietnam, underlining that she is on the right track ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from Sept 19-Oct 4.
At the SEAKF meet, which concluded on Monday, Shahmalarani defeated Vietnam’s Pham Thi Dao 2-1 in the final to successfully defend her women’s Under-50kg title.
She had earlier beaten another Vietnamese, Nguyen Phuong Thao, 5-2 in her opening bout before cruising past the Philippines’ Sobrepena Hanabelle 9-1 to book her place in the final.
The three-time SEA Games champion will also take confidence from having used her experience to overcome a younger field on her way to the title.
“This wasn’t built in a day. It’s always an extra kick to bring the gold back home,” said Shahmalarani.
“Thank you to all my opponents for always challenging me to work harder than before and allowing me to showcase my best self out there.
She noted the significance of her successful title defence.
“The gold medal won here holds a special place in my heart as this was my first SEA Games venue where I won my debut gold for Malaysia (in 2023),” she said.
Shahmalarani also helped the women’s kumite team to clinch a silver medal after going down 1-2 to Vietnam in the final.
Meanwhile, in the men’s category, K. Thevendran did not live up to expectations after he missed out on defending the men’s senior below 55kg category title he won in Brunei last year.
The reigning SEA Games champion lost 3-5 to Vietnam’s Do Duy Khanh in the semi-finals and finished empty handed after losing the repechage fight for bronze to Thailand’s Ingloy Natthakrit (0-6).
Mohd Haznil Henry contributed a silver in the men’s senior individual kata after a 2-3 defeat by Indonesia’s Edbert Setiabudi Christopher. Zakiah Adnan also settled for silver in the women’s senior below 61kg category after she lost 0-8 to Vietnam’s Hoang Thi My Tam in the final.
Overall, Malaysia bagged a total of six gold, six silver and 18 bronze medals (cadet, junior and senior ranks combined).
