KLANG: For the Ghazali family, winning Sukma gold in muay thai has almost become tradition.
On Thursday, the youngest of the clan confirmed that. Sarawak’s Emylia Lynn Ghazali Zulfikar, known affectionately as Mia, edged out Johor’s Damia Husna Azian by the narrowest of margins to claim gold in what was billed as the marquee bout of the Sukma muay thai competition at the KSL Esplanade Mall here.
The 15-year-old, whose brother Johan Ghazali is a professional muay thai fighter in the One Championship, raced into a commanding lead over the first two rounds, winning 10-4 and 14-8. But the more experienced Damia, five years her senior, produced a stirring fightback in the third round, outscoring Emylia 21-10.
However, that was not enough, as Emylia held on to win the bout by a single point overall. The result left the Johor camp, and Damia in particular, visibly shaken, with the contingent said to have considered lodging a protest before eventually accepting the silver medal.
For Emylia, the gold extends a golden run for her family.
Her brothers Johan and Elias won Sukma titles in 2022, while another brother, Mikael, struck gold at the Sarawak edition of the Games.
"I’ve been training for about two months on my technique, focusing a lot on my preparation, and it’s all paid off in the end.
I’m really happy and satisfied with the result," Mia said. On coping against an older, more seasoned opponent, she credited her support system.
"Trust in my training, trust in my coaches, trust in Allah," she said, adding that having her brothers Johan and Elias by her side had played a big part in her preparation. The Sarawak crowd’s vocal support also lifted her through the tense final round.
"It definitely gives me the rhythm, so I like the noise," she said.
Mia also thanked her coaches, including Thailand-based coaches, for their guidance.
RESULTS
MEN
Below 48kg: Abdul Muaz Shamsul Badri (Nse) Bt Zufry Iskandar Zailan (FT) 39-14 (14-4, 16-6, and 9-4)
Below 51kg: Insyad Rumijam (FT) Raja Izaffudin Petra Raja Anuar (Prk) 38-14 (21-1, 8-10 and 9-3)
Below 57kg: Mohd Fadzmi Aiman Mohd Fadzli (Sel) bt Mohd Ramadhan Abd Razak (Prk) 29-15 (19-12, 10-3 and knockout)
Below 60kg: Putra Abdullah Mahmoud (Sel) Bt Mohd Hakimi Nordin (Pen) 36-19 (12-6, 14-5 and 10-8)
Below 64kg: Arysh Shaddad Ubaidullah (Sel) bt Faris Aiman Salim (Pen) 17-6 (13-3, 4-3 and 4-0)
Below 67kg: Adhem Syf Ubaidullah (Sel) bt Aiman Mohd Din (Joh) 36-9 (14-3, 16-2 and 6-5)
Below 71kg: Mohd Amirul Hakim Bin (Pen) bt Mohd Ibad Zainul Asri (Ter) 40-17 (14-5, 14-6 and 12-5)
WOMEN
Below 45kg: Emylia Lynn Ghazali Zulfikar Bt Damia Husna Azian (Joh) 34-33 (10-4, 14-8 and 10-21)
Below 48kg: Rabiatul Adawiyah Mohd Yunus (Prk) bt Eva Anatasia Warren 35-25 (12-8,13-10 and 10-7)
Below 54kg: Nur Bisyarah Altisya Mohd Zairee (Prk) bt Krystal Angel Jafili 36-19 (6-6, 15-7 and 13-5)
Below 57kg: 1. Nurhuda Fakhira Mohd Hasbul Farik (Prk) bt Nur Hani Hazirah Hamdan (FT) 34-30 (9-14, 14-10, 11-6)
