National Muay Thai athletes to train for SEA Games in Bangkok

BANGKOK − The Malaysian Muaythai Association (MMA) will send national athletes to train here in preparation for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next year.

Its president Datuk Muhammad Shahnaz Maula Azmi said this time there would be no pre-selection session for athletes contesting in the sporting event − scheduled to take place from May 12 to 23.

Athletes would be selected based on their performance at the recently concluded International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) World Muaythai Championships in Bangkok as no competitions and tournaments were held following the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

“We do not have time for the selection of athletes due to time constraints (as) there are only five months left before the SEA Games.

“I will be sending them here (Thailand) for national team training,” he told Bernama here today.  

Shahnaz said national athletes need to undergo training abroad in order to gain exposure and improve their performance.

“Besides that, we also face the challenge of having no sparring partners, especially for athletes such as Mohammad Rifdean Masdor and Ahmad Nor Iman Aliff Rakib,” he said.

The national Muay Thai squad won five gold medals at the 2021 IFMA World Muaythai Championships through Mohammad Rifdean Masdor in the Under 23 Elite 48kg category; Ahmad Nor Iman Aliff Rakib (Teenagers 16-17 years old, 51kg event); Texas Jeremy Lo (Youth 12-13; 44kg); Ahmad Akid Mohd Nazrul Hisyam (Youth 12-13; 54kg) and Muhammad Mikail Ghazali Zulfikar (Youth 11-13; 32-36kg). – Bernama, December 12, 2021