JAKARTA: Singapore claimed its second silver medal in pencak silat at the Asian Games on Monday (Aug 27) after Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alauddin finished second in the the men’s Class I (85-90kg) finals.
Ferdous, the older brother of world champion Sheik Farhan Sheik Alauddin, held his own against homeground favourite Aji Bangkit Pamungkas, before eventually losing 5-0.
Before this, Ferdous triumphed over Malaysia’s Robial Sobri 5-0 in the semi-final on Sunday.
This is the first time that silat has been included at the Asian Games as a medal sport, and Singapore have won a total of five medals in the sport so far in Jakarta – two silvers and three bronzes.
Earlier on Monday, Nurzuhairah Yazid also finished second in the Artistic Women’s Tunggal (Singles) Finals.
The 20-year-old ended the finals with 445 points. Indonesia’s Puspa Arumsari won gold, scoring 467 points, while the Philippines’ Cherry May Regalado took home the bronze with 444 points.
Singapore’s Nurzuhairah Yazid won the silver medal in the pencak silat artistic women’s tunggal (singles) finals. (Photo: SportSG)
“I feel really great, I know that I put in my best and already did my all,” she said. “I’m really satisfied with my performance. I was a little nervous but I didn’t let that overcome me. I kept my cool, just thought positive, I’ve trained hard and I really trust my process.”
Singapore’s three silat bronzes came from Nurul Shafiqah Mohd Saiful, Siti Khadijah Mohd Shahrem and Farhan. They clinched joint third-place finishes in the women’s Class B (50-55kg), women’s Class C (55-60kg) and the men’s Class J (90-95kg) respectively.
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