Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s ITF Taekwon-Do contingent returned from the Hwa Rang Warrior Asia Cup 2026 with a respectable haul of 31 medals, including four golds, 10 silvers and 17 bronzes, recently.
The 56-member contingent, represented by three Sabah clubs, finished 16th among 59 participating teams at the three-day championship held at Stadium Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur from Sept 4 to 6.
The participating clubs were Kelab Taekwon-do Wira ITF Papar, Kelab Taekwon-do ITF Superior Starkick and Kelab Taekwon-do ITF Gemilang Emas.
Among the standout performers was Wira ITF Papar veteran Azizudin Azlee, who won gold in individual sparring and silver in individual pattern.
Superior Starkick also made a strong contribution, with Nur Raisha Hafiza Mohd Fadzil winning gold in individual pattern and silver in individual sparring, while Mohammad Idham Hafizi Mohd Fadzil secured gold in individual sparring and silver in individual pattern.
Gemilang Emas contributed two bronze medals through Arissa Sofia Mohd Halfian in individual pattern and Muhammad Qurizh Muaz Azman in individual sparring.
Contingent chief Osmaiza Osman described the athletes’ performances as the result of their hard work, discipline and sacrifices.
He acknowledged that the contingent had targeted 10 gold medals but fell short of the initial target.
“Nevertheless, I congratulate all the athletes, coaches and officials for their commitment and dedication. The results are a reflection of the effort put in throughout the preparation,” he said.
Osmaiza said the athletes completed the tournament in high spirits and remained motivated to improve their performances.
“The athletes finished the tournament with high morale and are looking forward to improving themselves further. We will continue to work on the areas that need improvement and prepare for the next tournament, which will be announced at a later date,” he said.
He also urged the medal winners to remain humble and encouraged those who missed out on medals to learn from the experience and return stronger in their next competition.
