HANOI: Taekwondo exponent Syafiq Zuber had to face two “opponents” from Vietnam in the men’s kyorugi (sparring) welterweight (80kg) final at the 31st SEA Games before emerging triumphant at the Tay Ho Gymnasium tonight.
But credit to Syafiq for not just taming Pham Minh Bao Kha 15-9 but also silencing the home crowd for the gold medal.
The Malaysian had earlier produced the form of his life to dethrone three-time champion Samuel Morrison of the Philippines in the last four.
Syafiq, 22, defeated Morrison, who won gold from 2015 to 2019, 35-21.
At Manila 2019, Syafiq had to settle for a bronze in the lightweight (74kg) category.
The national taekwondo camp now has a 1-1-3 medal haul.