THE victorious Malaysian silambam team, comprising exclusively of Penang athletes, returned home to a hero’s welcome at the Penang International Airport today after clinching 12 gold medals at the Asian Open Silambam Championship in Qatar on Saturday.
The team’s stellar performance earned them the overall championship title, triumphing over competitors from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, and Saudi Arabia.
The athletes were greeted by state Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi and state Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu, who jointly sponsored the team.
Other notable people present included Penang State Sports Council (MSN) director Harry Chai, Jelutong MP and Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) chairman RSN Rayer, Senator Dr A. Lingeshwaran (PHEB deputy chairman), PHEB commissioner Datuk J. Dhinagaran, who is also the state MIC chairman, and Malaysia Silambam Association secretary Kumara Reddy Simnachalam.
Family members of the athletes also joined the celebrations, embracing the returning champions and presenting them with toy bouquets as tokens of appreciation.
The six-member team, which brought immense pride to the state, were Shasthiveena Mogana Rajenthran, 16, (thanithiramai – below 17 years, combat – 55kg-65kg), Kavithira Baskaran, 15, (thanithiramai – below 15 years, combat – 45kg-55kg), Darnisha Balaguru, 15, (thanithiramai – below 15 years, combat – 55kg-65kg), Ranishaa Vasantha Kumar, 15, (thanithiramai – below 15 years, combat – above 70kg), Leenasshree Kamalakanna, 14, (thanithiramai – below 15 years, combat – 30kg-40kg) and Prakash Raveendran, 30, (thanithiramai – Open male category, combat – above 60kg).
Gooi lauded the team for its accomplishments, noting the state’s commitment to supporting traditional sports like silambam and kabaddi.
“As Penang will host an international championship next year, I hope our Penang players will capitalise on home advantage and continue to form the backbone of the national team,” Gooi said.
Sundarajoo, who supported the team financially before the tournament, shared his satisfaction.
“They approached me seeking help a few days before the tournament, and I’m glad I could support them. I’m very happy that the money was well spent. They came back with 12 golds. I personally took time to come here to congratulate them because they worked very hard to get them,” Sundarajoo said.
Chai assured continued support for silambam’s growth, including allocating a new training venue in Bukit Mertajam to replace the rented Padang Badawi facility.
“Silambam contributed three golds in the Sarawak Sukma, and we hope to maintain or improve this in Sukma 2026,” Chai said.
Malaysia Silamban Association (MSA) president Dr M. Suraess, who accompanied the team to Doha, said he expected the team to win six golds but was pleasantly surprised that they managed to double.
“Two of our players sustained injuries during the tournament, but they were determined not to give up. Eventually, all our six exponents won two golds each. We will now look forward to an international championship that Penang will host next year,” Dr Suraess said.
Coach Raveedran Poongavannam credited the team’s rigorous training regime and focused preparation on ‘thanithiramai’ (artistic staff spinning) and ‘poruthal’ (combat) categories for their success.
“My athletes trained very hard for the competition, five times a week. Their hard work paid off,” Raveendran said.
Team captain Prakash Raveendran reflected on the valuable lessons gained from their first international meet in Selangor in July and the Sarawak Sukma in August.
“We learned a lot from the Asian championship, like new techniques. For me, my toughest challenge came from my counterpart from India.
“For next year’s international meet in Penang, we will need to step up as other countries will come better prepared,” Prakash said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar