Miri silat athlete still reeling from golden SEA Games feat in Bangkok
by Cindy Lai · Borneo Post OnlineMIRI (Dec 22): Ummi Mashitah Hassan hails her SEA Games debut as a major milestone in her short years in silat.
The 22-year-old Mirian brought pride to the nation at the just-concluded event in Bangkok, where she exhibited a remarkable performance in the Pencak Silat Women’s Class C (55-60kg) final, defeating Thailand’s Anuntaya Niyompan 104-88 to claim her first-ever SEA Games gold.
“It’s a major milestone in my career, considering that my involvement in silat is relatively short,” she told reporters when met after arrival at Miri Airport late Sunday evening, where family members, friends, supporters and representatives of sports agencies had already gathered for her homecoming.
Also present were Rumpun Silat Sarawak Miri Region chairman Madon Sulong and its secretary Mohamad Azahar Bujang, as well as Sarawak silat head coach Fadzil Jamain.
Adding on, Ummi Mashitah pointed out that the achievement did not belong to her alone.
“All this is the result of teamwork and strong support from various parties.
“I am grateful to have come this far.
“I feel very excited, and also proud of myself for being able to defeat strong competitors from other countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
“Alhamdulillah (Praise be for Allah), this is a very valuable experience for all of us.
“It motivates me to continue working harder and improving my performance in the future.”
Looking ahead, Ummi Mashitah said her next focus would be the World Championships in Turkiye next year.
“Inshaa Allah (God-willing), I am focused on working with the MSN (National Sports Council) in the preparations for that event.
“I will continue training with the team and further enhance my level of preparation,” she said.
Ummi Mashitah also took the opportunity to express her appreciation to all the supporters who had continuously provided moral support and prayers throughout her time in Bangkok.
“I thank all of you for your prayers and support – it really means a lot to me,” she added.