Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari has no problem blending tradition with today. He entered the arena to loud rap music, paid homage to the ancient traditions of his regionally-rooted martial arts, and celebrated his second Southeast Asian Games gold medal with a backflip and a jubilant run into and out of the stands.

Silat, like sepak takraw, is the kind of sport that keeps the Southeast Asian flavor in the 11-nation SEA Games. Jamari is the kind of athlete who helps keep it current.

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It's a contrast between mandatory rituals of graceful sweeping arm movements, wriggling fingers, and full-on attacking kicks. In Sunday's 10 finals in tanding '€” the unarmed combat style '€” the competitors wore the formal black uniforms and protective chest guards. The end of each round was signaled by a gong, and the results were issued first by a show of the judges' flags.

Thailand won three of the first six titles '€” winning one and losing one by disqualification '€” and Malaysia won three, including one by a disqualification. Both countries finished equal with Vietnam and Indonesia with three titles apiece in the sport.

World championship bronze medalist Muhammad Faizul Nasire won the first of the men's finals, when Khansakhon Nanthachai was disqualified for misconduct in the men's 55-kilogram class.

Thailand's Adilan Chemaeng was into the third round against Vietnam's Nguyen Thai Linh in the men's 55-60-kilogram class when he was knocked unconscious by an illegal punch to the head.

He fell to the floor and had to be carried out of the arena on a stretcher, but recovered in time to receive his gold medal. Team officials said he was recovering well.

Thailand won the next men's bout, too, when Pornteb Poolkaew won a unanimous 5-0 decision against Malaysia's Fahmi Ramli.

Two world champions from Malaysia were in action in back-to-back bouts, with Siti Rahmah Mohamed Nasir, wearing a black head scarf, winning a unanimous decision 5-0 in the women's 65-kilogram class against Nguyen Thi Yen and Jamari easily accounting for Vu Van Hoang by the same margin.

The home crowd went wild when Muhammad Nur Alfian Juma'en defended his title in the men's 75-kilogram class, giving Singapore its first gold medal of the meet in the next-to-last final. (iik)(++++)

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