Iman, competing in the men’s Under-69kg kick light category, defeated Indonesia’s Muharram Syach Firman 2-1 to emerge triumphant at the Elephant Hall of the Morodok Techo National Stadium.

This is the 23-year-old’s first time competing in kickboxing, having bagged silver and bronze in taekwondo in the Philippines (2019) and Vietnam (2021).

His brother Iman Aliff won a Muay Thai gold medal for Malaysia at the Hanoi edition, which was held last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Iman’s gold medal is the country’s 33rd at the biennial Games.

“I am very happy, it’s difficult to describe in words. It’s not easy to get a gold medal. I had to make a lot of sacrifices,” he said.

His father, who is also a national boxing legend, had given him words of encouragement before he competed in today’s final.

“Father told me about strategy and gave me words of encouragement, he told me to do my best. I hope my parents are happy with the gold medal I won because my younger brother achieved the feat (at the SEA Games) first.

“My younger brother marched ahead first, I felt left behind. That drove me to get the gold medal. My brother also told me to give it my best shot,” he said.

Rakib won the boxing bronze at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and silver at the 2001 SEA Games.