SUKMA gold medal reignites Haziq's dream of returning to BAM

Muhammad Haziq Mohd Najib, a badminton player from Selangor, has reignited his ambition to return to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) after clinching the men's singles gold medal at the SUKMA Selangor 2026 games. The 21-year-old secured a surprise victory over Negeri Sembilan's Ayu Fu Sheng, a national player, in a thrilling three-set final.

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Alhamdulillah today I won, I contributed gold to Selangor, I feel proud, but the second set was a bit difficult against the wind, so in the rubber set I just listened to what the coach said and held onto the lead.

Haziq, who currently plays independently under the Akademi Badminton New Vision (NVBA), overcame a first-set deficit to win the match 2-1. He credited his coach's guidance during the crucial rubber set for his comeback. "I just entered the court without thinking about anything, whether it was BAM or anything else. I just played as the coach said, and that was it," Haziq stated after his win.

This gold medal marks Haziq's first and last appearance at the SUKMA games. His performance has reportedly caught the attention of a coach who has invited him for a trial session in September. Haziq, who was part of BAM's junior program in 2022, sees this as a significant opportunity to prove himself again.

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I just entered the court without thinking about anything, whether it was BAM or anything else. I just played as the coach said, and that was it.

"My goal is to get into BAM. I just want to focus on making the country proud, that's all," Haziq added. In the women's singles final, national player Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi from Melaka secured the gold medal by defeating Lee Kay Xin of the Federal Territories.

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My goal is to get into BAM. I just want to focus on making the country proud, that's all.