KUCHING: From grassroots training to international arenas, rising talents Leeroy Valentine Lavern and Reon are proving that Sarawak’s combat sports pipeline is producing athletes ready for the global stage.
Fourteen-year-old Leeroy has earned selection into the Malaysia Wushu Sanda team, currently at the World Youth Wushu Championship in Tianjin, China, from March 23-31 under the Boys 65kg category.
According to Mad Fight Club president Tsan Nieng Khai, the young fighter’s inclusion in the national squad follows his standout performance at last year’s KPM competition.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Reon continues to make his mark in professional Muay Thai, recently battling to a draw in his third professional bout at Bangla Boxing Stadium in Phuket, Thailand. The result brings his record to 2-0-1, after facing a tough opponent from the United States.
Both athletes are part of a growing pool of fighters nurtured under the Madfight (MMA)Club system, which has been steadily producing national-level competitors.
“I am very proud and happy with their growth and achievements so far. Both of them have improved tremendously and are now able to represent our motherland, Sarawak, as well as Malaysia on the world stage,” said Tsan to Sarawak Tribune today (Mar 28).
He added that Leeroy and Reon are among several of his students who have progressed to represent the country, highlighting the steady rise of the gym’s development programme.
“Last year, Lima Juaku was selected to represent Malaysia at the Asian Wushu Junior Competition. This year, I will be sending him to Uzbekistan for the Asian Youth Games selection in Asian Mixed Martial Arts (AMMA),” he said.
Tsan also pointed to the success of Kelly Pang Sze Teng, now one of the gym’s coaches and a certified physiotherapist, who is a gold medallist at the AMMA 2 competition.
Looking ahead, the gym is preparing a strong contingent for the upcoming Sanda King competition in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, from Apr 17 to 19, which will serve as a selection platform for the next SEA Games in Kuching.
“As for these four athletes, I will be sending them to compete at the Seremban Sanda King for the Asian Games selection. This time, I will be sending a total of eight athletes from Madfightclub | MMA Sports Hub (SMASH),” he added.
Tsan noted that many of his athletes, including Leeroy and Reon, began their journey through the gym’s Little Goku programme for children aged six to 12.
“Most of them have graduated from my Little Goku programme, and it is truly inspiring to see how far they have come,” he said.
