Malaysian taekwondo athlete Chin Ken Haw secured a bronze medal at the World Poomsae Championships held recently in Chuncheon, South Korea, providing a timely boost ahead of his debut at the Asian Games this weekend. The 21-year-old, alongside teammates Randy Owen Augustine and Yeap Zhi Bin, earned the bronze in the men’s team Under-30 category.

During the semi-finals, Malaysia was defeated by Taiwan, while the Philippines lost to eventual champions South Korea in their respective matchups. This marks Chin’s first medal at the world level, representing a significant step forward as he aims to make a mark in the upcoming Asian Games.

Chin, originally from Sarawak, noted that competing in both recognised and freestyle poomsae disciplines at the world meet served as an effective preparation. He highlighted that the Asian Games would present a greater challenge, as the men’s individual event combines both disciplines. “Winning a medal will be much tougher. I don’t think too much about winning a medal as I only want to focus on bringing out my best presentation,” he said. Chin had previously won a bronze medal in the individual freestyle poomsae at the Thailand SEA Games last year.

Another Malaysian contender at the Asian Games is Yow Mei Yee, who will compete in the women’s individual category. Mei Yee was part of the team that secured gold in the recognised poomsae event alongside Seah Jing Ying and Wong Zin at last year’s Thailand SEA Games. Malaysia’s last medal in the women’s individual poomsae at the Asian Games was a bronze won by Sara Yap Khim Wen in Jakarta in 2018.

As the Asian Games approach, Malaysia’s taekwondo team looks to build on these recent successes, aiming to elevate their performance on the continental stage.