GEORGE TOWN, Dec 30 — Malaysia’s silambam team clinched the overall title at the Asia Open Silambam Championship in Qatar two days ago, proving the ability of local exponents to compete on the international stage despite stiff competition from more experienced athletes.
Even more impressive is that all six exponents sent to the championship were Malaysian Games (Sukma) winners from Penang — R. Prakash, B. Kavithira, M. Shasthiveena, K. Lenasshree, V. Ranishaa and B. Dharnisha.
Malaysia Silambam Association president M. Suraess expressed pride in the achievements of the team members, especially since it was their first time competing in the championship, with an initial target of only six gold medals.
“They competed well in Qatar, and we didn’t expect them to win all the gold medals and become overall champions. Our initial target was only six, but they brought home 12 — double our target.
“As we know, India is a big name in Silambam with many talented players, as is Qatar, who had a lot of supporters present. The competition was tough, but our exponents delivered an outstanding performance. Even though two were injured, they managed to overcome the pain and scored the necessary points to win,” he told reporters when met at the Penang International Airport today.
The national heroes’ return was warmly welcomed by their families, with cheers of “Malaysia Boleh!” and “Silambam Boleh!” as they left the arrival hall, in the presence of youth, sports and health state executive councillor Daniel Gooi Zi Sen and Penang Sports Council (MSNPP) director Harry Chai Heng Hua.
Suress expressed hope this impressive performance will continue in next year’s International Open Silambam Championship, with Penang set to host the event. The championship is expected to feature around 12 countries, including European nations such as Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, team coach P. Raveendran is confident his fighters have a bright future in the sport, given that most of them are young and have great potential, provided they continue to deliver excellent performances and are disciplined.
However, he noted that they require more exposure and training to strengthen their skills and help them overcome their nerves, especially when facing opponents of larger physique.
“We only had two or three months to prepare for this championship because we were focused on Sukma and the international championship in Sepang. We used that time to train,” he said.
R. Prakash, 30, said the championship was the best exposure for him as it allowed him to learn new techniques and disciplines.
“India and Qatar proved very tough competition. Our initial mission was only to target one gold medal per exponent, but we managed to (win) more. This is a motivation for us to aim for even more in the upcoming championships,” said Prakash who competed in the men’s open over 60kg category.
K. Lenasshree, 14, expressed her gratitude to the coach and MSNPP for giving her a chance to compete internationally, and said she was nervous as the opponents were not ordinary fighters.
Gooi, on the other hand, said the Penang government, especially MSNPP, has always focused on the development of traditional sports such as silambam and kabaddi.
“MSNPP has been one of the biggest supporters of silambam, helping to build players who have become the backbone of the national team. For the international championship next year, we hope the advantage of being the host can be used as a great opportunity for exponents to compete and achieve success,” he said.
The championship, which involved six countries, saw the Malaysian silambam team win 12 gold medals, with each athlete contributing two medals in both individual skills and combat categories, thus being crowned overall champions.
The gold medal winners included Prakash in the men’s open category over 60kg, Shasthiveena in the under-17 women’s category (55kg-65kg), Lenasshree (30kg-40kg), Kavithira (45kg-55kg), Darnisha (55kg-65kg), and Ranishaa (over 70kg) in the under-15 women’s category.
— Bernama
