KUCHING: The sport Chimang Kenyalang wanted never fully opened its doors to him.
As friends earned selections and opportunities in rugby, the teenager found himself repeatedly overlooked, forced to watch from the sidelines, while carrying the weight of expectations that came with having a successful older brother.
Most young athletes would have accepted the disappointment and moved on. Instead, Chimang found a different fight waiting for him.
Today, the 15-year-old Bidayuh fighter, whose real name is Ennaq Joel Jeffrison, is preparing to represent Malaysia at the IFMA Youth World Championship in Greece this November, a journey few could have predicted when he first stepped into a muaythai gym searching for something new.
The irony is not lost on him.
The rugby dream
There was a time when muaythai was never part of the plan.
Growing up in Kuching, Chimang was drawn to rugby. The sport appealed to him, and so did the possibility of following in the footsteps of his older brother, Ennaq Jeremy, a respected rugby player who would later become his coach, mentor and manager in muaythai.
Naturally, comparisons followed. Many of Chimang’s friends knew who his brother was. Some expected him to follow the same path.
But while his brother continued to thrive, Chimang struggled to secure the opportunities he wanted.
“I was disappointed because I always imagined myself as a rugby player, and my brother and I would play and compete side by side.
“But due to my size, I am far from the person that I imagined, holding a rugby ball and tackling some big-sized opponents”, Chimang told Sarawak Tribune in an exclusive interview.
The setbacks were difficult to ignore.
For a teenager trying to find his place in sport, every rejection felt personal. There were moments when he wondered whether he simply did not belong.
Jeremy, who now oversees much of Chimang’s strength and conditioning programme while also managing his competition preparations, remembers those days well.
“It was disappointing for him. But at the end of the day, selections are made by coaches. We had to accept that.
“Even if I’m his brother, and really rooting for him to pass selections, I have no say in the coaches’ professional view,” Jeremy said.
Looking back, that disappointment may have been the turning point.
Not long after, Chimang found himself standing at the door of a completely different sport.
A different fight
At the age of 12, Chimang was introduced to sport through Muaythai Kenyalang. Initially, it was nothing more than an after-school activity.
He trained, learned the basics and enjoyed the experience, but rugby remained his primary focus.
That changed when he entered secondary school. Faced with a decision about which sport to pursue seriously, he sought advice from his brother.
“I inquired with my brother whether I should build my size, eat a lot of protein and keep pursuing rugby, or I change my sport type, which is hard for me because rugby was always in my mind”, Chimang added.
The answer was simple: choose one, commit fully.
Chimang chose muaythai.
What followed was not an overnight transformation, but a steady accumulation of effort.
School begins early and training ends late.
Most afternoons are spent working on strength and conditioning before he heads to Muaythai Kenyalang for technical sessions that often stretch until 11:00 pm.
Then the cycle begins again the next day.
The brother behind the fighter
According to Jeremy, discipline is what separates Chimang from many athletes his age.
“Talent is talent, but discipline is different. I see Chimang as one of the few young and fresh fighters who are willing to consistently train twice a day before adding extra work on top of scheduled sessions. That is one of his defining traits,” he said.
Jeremy’s role in his younger brother’s journey extends far beyond family support.
After stepping away from rugby, he now serves as Chimang’s strength and conditioning coach, mentor and manager, helping oversee everything from training programmes and recovery sessions to competition schedules and preparation camps.
If Chimang is the fighter inside the ring, Jeremy is often the one working quietly outside it.
While one throws punches and kicks under the spotlight, the other is busy planning workouts, monitoring progress and helping ensure every training session contributes towards a larger goal.
Years ago, he looked up to Jeremy as an older brother succeeding in rugby.
Today, the relationship has evolved into a partnership built around a different dream.
The family sacrifice
Behind the demanding schedule stands a family making sacrifices of its own.
His mother was initially reluctant to see her son enter combat sports, concerned about the physical risks involved.
Over time, however, concern evolved into support.
Late-night drives to training sessions became routine.
Family schedules were adjusted around competitions and preparation camps.
Even after long days at work, his parents found ways to ensure their son could continue pursuing his ambitions.
For Chimang, those sacrifices remain a constant source of motivation.
“My family motivates me. They spend a lot of time supporting my training”, he added.
The results have followed.
One point away
In June, Chimang stepped onto one of the biggest stages of his young career at the IFMA Muaythai School World Championship in Kuala Lumpur.
Representing Malaysia, he opened his campaign with a hard-fought 29-28 victory over Armenia’s Kamo Manukian in the round of 32.
The confidence gained from that win carried into the next round, where he defeated India’s Mudit Gupta by second-round technical knockout to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
There, he faced Kazakhstan’s Ismail Bophezann.
The bout was decided by the finest of margins.
When the final scores were announced, Chimang had fallen 28-29.
One point.
One point separated him from the semi-finals.
The defeat ended his campaign, but not before he had proven he could compete against some of the best young fighters in the world.
For many athletes, a quarter-final finish might feel like a missed opportunity.
For Chimang, it served as confirmation that he belonged at that level.
The experience has only strengthened his resolve ahead of his next challenge.
Ellada, here I come
In November, he will once again wear Malaysian colours at the IFMA Youth World Championship in Greece.
The competition will be tougher, the stage will be bigger and the expectations will be higher.
Yet neither Chimang nor his family appear intimidated.
His brother believes the key is perspective.
“They train, and we train. They eat, and we eat. So why should we be afraid?
“It’s not like we’re fighting Saitama from One Punch Man, but yes their environment and training routines may differ or maybe more extreme than us but whether we win or lose, I know that my brother will give all he has in the ring,” Jeremy said.
It is a mindset that has carried them this far.
Not long ago, Chimang was a teenager wondering why rugby never gave him the opportunity he wanted.
Today, he is preparing to represent Malaysia on the world stage.
The rugby dream never became reality.
Yet somewhere between rejection, sacrifice and thousands of hours in the gym, Chimang Kenyalang discovered something he never expected.
The path meant for him was waiting elsewhere.
He found the sport that chose him.
