Nazri (second right) presenting Nizam souvenirs at the closing of the Sabah Muaythai Expo at 1Borneo Hypermall on Sunday.
KOTA KINABALU (April 14): Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy (MySpaCe) minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakat TItingan strongly believes that Sabah has what it takes to excel in muaythai at the 22nd Malaysia Games (Sukma) to be held in Selangor from Aug 15-24.
At the 2024 edition, Sabah picked up an impressive five gold, three silver and two bronze medals.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Sabah Muaythai Expo: The Young Guns here on Sunday, Nizam said Sabah’s success has been built on dedication, consistent training and strong grassroots development, apart from maintaining a high level of discipline among the athletes.
“If this kind of spirit continues to live in the hearts of Sabah’s youth, I am confident that Muaythai will once again deliver gold medals for the state,” he said.
“I asked earlier (the president of Sabah Muaythai Nazri Ab Razak) about the gold medal target. Previously we won five golds … I sincerely hope Muaythai can contribute again or at least defend the five gold medals at this year’s Sukma,” he added.
The minister saw the three-day Sabah Muaythai Expo as a good example of a ‘grassroots development’ approach that provides early exposure, builds discipline and creates a clear pathway for young athletes to progress to higher levels.
“More importantly, this platform serves as a strategic foundation in preparation for the Sabah Games (Saga) 2027 and Sukma.
“We cannot rely solely on talent, we must build a consistent, structured, and high-impact development system,” he stressed.
A total of 305 participants (179 boys and 126 girls) from 37 teams from across the state took part in the competition organised by Sabah State Muaythai Association.
It also saw the emergence of new teams or gyms from districts including Nabawan, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Tenom and Lahad Datu.
The competition was opened to athletes between eight-year-old to 17-year-old and featuring 38 events for boys and 29 for girls.
Also present at the closing ceremony were the ministry’s permanent secretary Datuk Mansur Asun, Sabah Sports Council director Mohd Asneh Mohd Noor, deputy director Valerie Wong, Sabah Muaythai president Nazri Ab Razak and Sabah head coach Cyrille Dhillon Tahing.
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