Eight-medal haul but no gold in pencak silat
JAKARTA: Malaysia ended the pencak silat competition which was held for the first time in the Asian Games at Jakarta Palembang 2018 with four silver and four bronze medals.
However, it was not good enough as the national squad’s target was three gold.
The exponents were expected to deliver based on their past performance in major tournaments and they were led by 2016 world champion and 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games gold medallist Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari.
Malaysian National Silat Federation ( Pesaka) secretarygeneral Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, though not happy with the outcome, said all the exponents at Padepokan Pencak Silat Taman Mini Indonesia Indah have given their 100 per cent.
“Personally I am not satisfied but we must congratulate the exponents because they did their best for Malaysia.
“Out target was three gold and it was eagerly awaited to give a boost to the gold tally.
“But out of the 15 events, eight of our exponents went up on the podium and I feel it is an achievement we can be proud of,” he said.
He also said that the points awarding system should be reviewed so that the sport would be included in the next edition in Hangzhou, China in 2022.
He said this would be brought up at the International Pencak Si lat Federat ion ( Persi lat) congress which will be held in conjunction with the World Silat Championships in Singapore in December.
Al Jufferi who won silver in the Class E Putra (65kg-70kg) category had protested biased judging in the final and staged a walkout in the final minutes of his bout.
The other silver were won by Mohd Fauzi (Class F 70kg-75kg), Mohd Khaizul (Class J 90kg- 95kg) and Mohd Faizul M Nasir (Class B 50kg- 55kg).
The bronze medallists were Muhammad Robial Sobri (Class I 85kg- 90kg), Mohamad Hazim Amzad ( Class C 55kg- 60kg) and the men and women’s regu teams. — Bernama