SELANGOR: Two years after settling for silver, 17-year-old Sarawak judoka Leng Ko Jia from Kuching finally turned heartbreak into gold at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) today.
Leng produced a composed performance to defeat Melaka’s Tan Mei Xu by ippon in the women’s -70kg final, delivering Sarawak’s first judo gold medal at SUKMA XXII Selangor 2026.
The victory marked a significant improvement from the 2024 edition in Sarawak, where Leng reached the final but had to settle for silver.
For coach Anderson Venus, the result was especially rewarding after years of guiding Leng since she was a young athlete.
“I am very happy because I have taught her since she was small, and now she has achieved this result,” said Anderson to reporters at IDCC Ideal Convention Centre Shah Alam.
He said Leng still had plenty of room to grow, with the 17-year-old eligible to compete at future editions of SUKMA.
“She still has two or three more SUKMA editions ahead of her. She is only 17 now, so she can still compete in the next Games,” he said.
Anderson added that Leng’s gold was also an encouraging sign for the future of Sarawak’s judo programme.
He said most of the current squad were still young, with several athletes aged 16 or below expected to remain in the team for future SUKMA editions.
“Most of them are under 17. Many are 16, so they will remain with the team,” he said.
For Leng, the gold capped a two-year journey from runner-up to champion and gave Sarawak judo a timely boost in its SUKMA campaign.
Her triumph also underlined the potential of Sarawak’s young judokas, with the state looking to build on the success of its emerging generation.