SEA Games: Silat exponent Iqbal Abdul Rahman clinches Singapore's first gold

HANOI - Pencak silat exponent Iqbal Abdul Rahman clinched Singapore's first gold of the Hanoi SEA Games on Wednesday (May 11) after a victory over Thailand's Ilyas Sadara in the men's artistic singles (Tunggal) final.

Iqbal, 28, garnered an average score of 9.960 from 10 judges in the final at the Bac Tu Liem Gymnasium to see off his opponent who scored 9.930.

A world champion and four-time Asian Championships gold medallist, this was Iqbal's first SEA Games triumph.

He had claimed a silver medal in the men's artistic singles at the last edition in 2019 in the Philippines and a bronze on home soil in 2015.

Before Wednesday, Singapore had captured three medals - all in diving.

On Monday, teenager Avvir Tham secured Singapore's first medal in Vietnam, a silver in the 1m individual springboard.

A day later, Jonathan Chan and Max Lee finished second in the men's 10m synchronised platform while teammate Fong Kay Yian clinched a bronze medal in the women's individual 3m springboard final.

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