KL girls sneak into final
AJITPAL SINGH ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my
WORLD wushu champion Loh Jack Chang has postponed his plans to retire. The 30-year-old had wanted to quit after the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in August but the taijiquan champion now wants to end his career with outings in September’s world meet in Kazan and the 2018 Asian Games.
Jack Chang made the U-turn after he was included into the The number of gold medals on offer in wushu in this year’s Sea
Games
event.
In August, 17 gold medals will be offered in wushu at the Sea Malaysian to fight for the belt but insisted it’s all destiny and feels no pressure to perform on the international stage.
“No pressure, everything is meant to be and I am just embracing the moment but this will surely be my best performance this year.”
Living and training out of Auckland, New Zealand, Ev’s professional record stands at 13-3 which includes four wins by submission and four knockouts.
Ev’s title fight comes after he stunned Kamal Shalorus of Iran at ONE: Throne of Tigers to win by split decision in the lightweight category in February.
The professional trainer will be up against a much bigger and leaner 33-year-old hometown favourite Folayang who shocked the MMA world when he captured the title last year following a victory over Japanese legend Shinya Aoki. Games, and expectations are high on Jack Chang to retain his gold medal.
“We had a training stint in China recently and the sessions have helped me iron out some of my routines.
“The Sea Games is very important to me and my teammates.
”It will not be easy for me as exponents from Myanmar and Indonesia are also strong in the taijiquan discipline.
“It is definitely my final Sea Games and I want to make it memorable,” said Jack Chang.
National coach Lim Yew Fai is expected to finalise his squad for the Sea Games next week.
Reigning Asian champion Weng Son and Yeap Wai Kin, along with former world champions Diana Bong and Phoon Eyin, are among those expected to make the team.
Despite Folayang’s advantage when it comes to size, Ev is not worried as MMA is not about body size.
“It will not be the first time I will be competing against somebody bigger, so it will be up to my smarts and execution of technique to win it for me.”
“Any real MMA fan will know that size doesn’t matter too much in a fight.”
Ev will not be the only Malaysian to fight at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila as he will be joined by compatriots Keanu Subba and Muhammad Aiman Raziz Affindi.
Keanu, 22, is set to face Christian Lee in the featherweight category and goes in with a 5-2 record.
MIMMA featherweight champion Aiman has a 2-1 record and is set to test his skills against Danny Kingad. Farah Azharie IT will be a showdown between Kuala Lumpur and Sabah in the final of the National Under-16 girls’ tournament today.
The boys’ final, meanwhile, will be between Perak and Terengganu, who advanced after playing to a 1-1 draw with Pahang.
Yesterday’s matches were delayed for three hours after torrential rain flooded the Kuala Lumpur HA and Ministry of Education pitches.
In the girls’ event, Penang took a 2-0 lead against Kuala Lumpur but by the 26th minute, it started to rain and the match was abandoned for three hours.
If the score had stood, KL would have been out of the final as Selangor would have made it on better goals average. But after the rain delay, KL managed to score a goal and even in defeat, sneak into the gold battle.
“KL have shown steady progress in the tournament and it would not be an easy match. However, my girls are motivated to win their first Under-16 title, and after a days rest, I believe they will not disappoint,” said Sabah HA vice president Datuk Anil Jeet Singh.
Sabah won bronze in the Under16 last year by beating Pahang 1-0.
Terengganu 1 Pahang 1 ;
Negri Sembilan 0 Sabah 8.
Penang 2 Kuala Lumpur 1; Group Y: Negri Sembilan 1 Johor 3.
Perak v
Terengganu (KLHA, 6pm);
Sabah v Kuala Lumpur (KLHA, 4pm). Jugjet Singh