This probably comes as no surprise to any Malaysian, but our country plays host to some truly talented athletes who have championed our national pride on the global stage. Whether it be on the court with Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Li Zii Jia or off the diving board with Datuk Pandalela Renong, you can be certain that Malaysia has what it takes to square off where it counts!
22-year-old V. Yilamaran brings pride to Malaysia
And to add yet another feather to our cap, 22-year-old Malaysian athlete V. Yilamaran has brought pride to the nation after bagging Malaysia’s first medal at the Deaflympics held in Caxias dol Sul, Brazil this year in the men’s kumite under 84kg category, reports national news agency BERNAMA. This win comes after Yilamaran, who made his official debut at the Deaflympics, had won subsequent matches against Sergio Garcia of Brazil in the first round, Avi Bokler of Israel in the quarter-finals, and Abdolghafour Ebhahim of Israel in the semi-finals.
In a post shared on the Malaysian Deaf Sports Association Facebook page, Malaysian contingent head Mr Ong Shin Ruenn expressed his pride at Yilamaran’s achievement, as well as that of the other participating athletes who have also added other medals to the tally in such sports as athletics, badminton, and cycling.
But this isn’t the first time that Yilamaran has caught the international limelight, as he had previously also made history for Malaysia after winning the nation’s first ever medal at the inaugural World Deaf Karate Championships held in Tehran, Iran, when he scored bronze last November.
Johor MB awarded him with RM8,000 cash prize
In the wake of his momentous achievement, Malaysiakini reports that Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has announced that the state will be awarding him with a cash prize of RM8,000 as a token of appreciation for the Johor-born sportsman.
“I would like to congratulate our national athlete, Yilamaran a/l Vispalingam who won the silver medal in the kumite event under 84 kilograms at the Karate Deaflympic tournament in Brazil.
The Johor-born athlete has made history, especially in light of the fact that this is the first time the country has participated in the event at the global level and won a medal for the Malaysian contingent.” he said.
Similarly, Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu had also taken to his own Facebook to congratulate Yilamaran over his historic win.
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