HANOI, May 19 — Taekwondo exponent Muhammad Syafiq Zuber had to face two "opponents” from Vietnam in the men’s kyorugi (sparring) welterweight (80kg) final at the 31st SEA Games before emerging triumphant at the Tay Ho Gymnasium tonight.

But credit to Muhammad Syafiq for not just taming Pham Minh Bao Kha 15-9 but also silencing the home crowd for the gold medal.

The Malaysian had earlier produced the form of his life to dethrone three-time champion Samuel Morrison of the Philippines in the last four.

Muhammad Syafiq, 22, defeated Morrison, who won gold from 2015 to 2019, 35-21.

At the 2019 Philippines edition, Muhammad Syafiq had to be satisfied with a bronze in the lightweight (74kg) category.

The national taekwondo camp now have a 1-1-3 medal haul. — Bernama