KUCHING: Kuching-born Abdul Latif Maxzakir recently made history by ending a 20-year medal drought for Sarawak and the Sarawak Silat Federation (RSS), after winning gold at the 20th World Pencak Silat Championship 2024 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, on Dec 22.
The 25-year-old emerged victorious in the Senior Male H (80-85kg) category, defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Duy Tuyen.
This win marks Abdul Latif as the fourth Sarawakian to claim the prestigious ‘World Champion’ title, following in the footsteps of his father, Maxzakir Othman, who won the title in 1994.
In the same competition, 21-year-old Ummi Mashitah Hassan from Miri made an impressionable debut at the World Championship after securing the runner-up spot in the Senior Female C (55-60kg) category against Vietnam’s Le Thi Van Anh.
Ummi’s exceptional performance also saw her win a gold medal at the 21st Sarawak Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024 previously, which earned her a place on the national team.
Former Johor National Champion, Nur Inatha Khairuniyah, who received a late call-up into the national team, became the runner-up for the Senior Women’s solo creative category after a narrow defeat against Indonesia over a 0.010 point difference.
The championship also hailed Sarawak-based referee Arnidawati Kassim as the Best Female Referee in the World, further highlighting Sarawak’s impact on the international stage.
It also saw Thamaraj Vasudevan as the first Malaysian-Indian to win a world champion title in the silat competition since its inception.
Malaysia’s national silat squad in total brought home an impressive haul of six golds, nine silvers, and four bronzes, solidifying their dominance in the sport.
