Asian Games 2026: Malaysia enter final stretch with sepak takraw gold shot, Azeem still in 100m hunt

Malaysia’s sepak takraw trio Muhammad Hafizul Hayazi Adnan, Muhammad Zarif Marican and Amirul Zazwan Amir in action against Indonesia in the team regu semi-final at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games at Paloma Mizuho Arena in Nagoya, September 24, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Friday, 25 Sep 2026 11:09 AM MYT

NAGOYA, Sept 25 — The momentum of the Malaysian contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games continues to grow as the sixth day of competition sees several sports entering the decisive phase, thereby opening up greater opportunities for the country to create significant moments ahead of the games’ climax.

After the focus over the past two days was directed more towards securing gold, yesterday the stage of struggle for national athletes was largely adorned with stories of resilience, endurance, and opportunities that remain wide open.

In the sepaktakraw arena, the national team regu staged a meaningful comeback by defeating Indonesia 2-1 in the semi-final action, thereby booking a ticket to the final to face defending champions Thailand today.

This success has reignited Malaysia’s dream of ending a 36-year wait to win gold in the event, after last climbing the highest podium at the Beijing 1990 Asian Games.

On the track, Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi ensured the athletics camp has a representative in the podium contention by advancing to the men’s 100-metre (m) semi-finals after emerging as the fastest runner in the fifth heat with a time of 10.17 seconds (s).

Malaysian sprinter Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi competes in the men’s 100m heats at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, September 24, 2026, where he clocked 10.17 seconds to reach the semi-finals. — Bernama pic

The national squash camp also continued its positive progress as Malaysia’s representatives in their respective events successfully advanced to the quarterfinals, thereby maintaining the hunt for medals.

In the men’s hockey competition, Malaysia continued its excellent momentum in Group B by thrashing Thailand 10-0 to secure a third consecutive win without conceding a goal.

However, the sixth day also brought a sad moment when the nation’s discus throwing ace, Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin, failed to perform at his best when a throw of 56.37 metres (m) was not enough to place him in the top eight.

This result means the athletics camp must wait for its first medal at this games, with attention now shifting to the upcoming events.

Today, the seventh day, promises another major test for the national contingent, particularly the sepaktakraw final against Thailand and the 100m semi-final action which will see Muhammad Azeem return to the track. — Bernama