Young muaythai athletes with Muaythai Malaysia are taking part in the Sukma Games this week, a multi-sport event with full government and Olympic Council of Malaysia support.
Altogether athletes are taking part across 29 sports, with muaythai athletes competing in 15 weight categories. Athletes must be aged between 16 and 21, and they each have to qualify at state level before being selected for centralised training.
The games are regulated by the National Sports Council of Malaysia, the state sports council of the respective member states, the Olympic Council of Malaysia and the National Sports association of the games respective sporting event.
In muaythai the athletes competed in nine divisions for boys, and six for girls. This is the second time muaythai has been part of the games’ 19 year history.
Dato Paduka Muhammad Shahnaz, President of Muaythai Malaysia said: “I’m happy that the quality of the young athletes has improved tremendously compared to the last Malaysian Games. I’m hoping that the next state host which is a state in the southern part of Malaysia Johor will include muaythai again in the next edition in 2020.”
The six-day event ran from the 15th to the 20th of September in the state of Perak.
Follow Muaythai Malaysia on Instagram @muaythaimalaysiaHQ and on Facebook @muaythai.malaysia for more photographs and results. Meet the muaythai athletes too!
Learn more about the SUKMA Perak 2018 Games here.
