Syafiq produced a superb display of precision and power to win the men’s kyorugi under-80kg which turned out to be the country’s 30th gold medal of the games.

In the final held at the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre, the 23-year-old who was trailing his opponent Naufal Khairudin Osanando from Indonesia, came back to snatch the victory with a 2-1 score.

The victory was a repeat of his feat in the 2021 edition held in Hanoi, Vietnam and from the same event.

More importantly,  Syafiq’s gold medal was able to lift the gloom for the country after suffering another gold drought on the 10th day of competition and happened to be the third from taekwondo.

When met by reporters, Syafiq was happy that he was able to defend the gold medal that he had won in Vietnam as well as fulfil his mother’s wish to bring back a gold medal from Cambodia.

“This gold medal is for my mother as a gift for Mother’s Day … she had asked me to do my best to win the gold medal. At first I did not make any promise to her but God willing I was able to win today and fulfil her wish. It is not easy to defend the gold medal.

“I spent about two months for training in South Korea and had to miss the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations with my family but the sacrifices paid off and I am thankful to everyone for making it possible,” he said.

Taekwondo’s two other gold medals came from the poomsae events.