Syakilla Salni scores gold in Karate despite injury

National female karate athlete Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan overcame persistent pain from a hamstring injury to secure the fifth gold medal for the country here Friday.

Her victory is also significant in that it was her maiden attempt in the Asian Games after winning the gold in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar last year.

Syakilla Salni, 22, of Klang, Selangor, defeated Uzbekistan's Barno Mirzaeva 10-2 in the women's kumite below 61kg event.

"I forgot about the injury and blocked off the pain ... I just thought about doing my best," she said.

She sustained the hamstring injury from a blow on the leg in the semi-final against Yin Xiaoyan of China.

Earlier, in the first round, Syakilla Salni warded off Philippines' Princess Diane Sicangco 3-1 to advance to the quarter-finals during which she triumphed over Vietnam's Bui Thi Ngoc Han 4-1.

She won 2-0 over China's Yin Xiaoyan to reach the final.

Meanwhile, another SEA Myanmar gold medallist S. Senthil Kumaran had to be contented with a bronze after bowing out to Imubarak Abdullah Alharbi of Saudi Arabia 0-8.

At the deciding match for the bronze in the men's kumite under 55kg, the jury awarded the bronze to Senthil Kumaran who was tied 4-4 with Suryadi of Indonesia.

"I targeted the gold but I'm still glad to get the bronze as this is only my first attempt in the Asian Games," he said.

Senthil Kumaran, 22, of Dengkil, Selangor, started off well by defeating South Korea's Gu Juyeong, 3-1 in the first round before winning 7-0 over Bijay Lama of Nepal to advance to the semi-final. - Zuriati Zulmi