SEA Games 2023: Sheik Farhan wins back-to-back SEA Games silat gold

PHNOM PENH – Winning a third SEA Games gold medal would have sparked joyous celebrations for most athletes, but not Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin.

As Singapore’s silat officials and athletes raised the roof at the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre after Farhan swept aside Malaysia’s Muhammad Robial Sobri 42-11 in the tanding Class I (85-90kg) final, the 25-year-old wore a deadpan expression as he walked over to grab a Singapore flag and drape it over his shoulders.

He had just prevailed in a lighter weight class, but there were no fist pumps or victory jigs, despite adding to his SEA Games triumphs in 2017 and 2022. These gold medals, as well as those in the 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2022 World Pencak Silat Championships, were in the tanding Class J (90-95kg) category, which is not contested at these Games.

As far as he is concerned, it is just business as usual when on the mat.

Starting his post-match interview by stating that “whatever class I compete in, I expect to win”, Farhan added: “This to me is my greatest achievement. Because of everything that led up to this competition.

“As an athlete, I want to be greater than just my opponent. Before a competition, there are a lot of things you go through but I know that next year, no one is going to remember that he had a knee injury or he is sick, or the referee was bad. No one will remember that.

“I want to be able to be at a point where no matter what obstacle is in my way, I will overcome it.”

When asked what were the obstacles he faced, Farhan declined to go into detail, adding: “I don’t want to be Mr Excuses.”

But Singapore Silat Federation chief, Sheik Alau’ddin, who is Farhan’s father, later revealed that his son had contracted Covid-19 just a week before the competition, which had left him “weak”.

He added: “Farhan is a different species from anyone. I am his father and yet he does not talk much (to me). But I will always believe in him.

“At home, we can have biryani and laksa but he will never touch it. He cooks his own (clean) food, works out and trains hard. We need this kind of mentality.”

The Singapore silat team finished the Games with two gold, three silver and five bronze medals.

At the last edition in Hanoi, Singapore’s silat exponents produced four golds, three silvers and four bronzes – their best-ever showing at the biennial meet.

The trio of Amirah Sahrin, Iffah Batrisyia Noh and Nur Ashikin Zulkifli won a historic gold last Sunday in the women’s artistic silat team event.

While it was jubilation for Farhan, there was disappointment for his brother, Sheik Ferdous.

A Games gold continues to elude the 2018 world champion and Asian Games silver medallist, after he was roundly beaten by Vietnam’s Nguyen Tan Sang in the men’s Class G (75-80kg) tanding final.

He had also hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in January, when reports revealed that he was facing a drink-driving charge. He is expected to plead guilty next Monday.

Games debutants Nadhrah Sahrin, 19 and Nurshahfareeq Shahrudin, 20, also settled for silver on Wednesday in the women’s Class A (45-50kg) tanding and men’s Class H (80-85kg) categories respectively.

Summing up silat’s performance, Sheik Alau’ddin was candid in his assessment of his charges, although he stated that the officiating in Cambodia had left him aghast. He had targeted four gold medals from his squad.

He said: “It was a good moment for Farhan today. But for the rest of the athletes, some of them really need to buck up.

“There are a few that I need to sit down and have a chat with and check if they are really hungry for it. If they are not hungry, we will have others.”