Sukma: Johor karate exponent A. Leidaneswaran capped his final Malaysia Games (SUKMA) appearance with a gold medal today, overcoming pain from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to triumph in the men's under-67 kilogramme (kg) individual kumite.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, competing at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) here, Leidaneswaran said the victory was particularly meaningful after the injury to his left leg forced him to halt his participation in overseas competitions. The 24-year-old described SUKMA 2026 as his 'last dance' for Johor, having previously settled for silver at the Games in Sarawak.

Leidaneswaran expressed his determination to give his best, acknowledging the support of his parents, coaches, and teammates. He said that the most challenging moment came when he received a final warning during his bout against Sarawak's Muhammad Haziq Mohammad Shamsudin, as another offence would have cost him the chance of winning gold.

Despite doctors advising him to rest and undergo surgery earlier, Leidaneswaran chose to continue training and preparing for SUKMA, opting to postpone treatment until after the Games. He is scheduled to undergo surgery this October for the ACL injury in his left leg, but admitted that competing while injured was far more challenging than training while managing the pain.

In addition to Leidaneswaran's achievement, Johor also secured another karate gold through S. Vaissnavi, who won the women's under-50kg individual kumite after defeating Federal Territories representative R. Tharshinny. Vaissnavi, who previously suffered an ACL injury to her right knee, also fought through the pain to ensure the gold medal went to Johor.