S'porean MMA fighter Tiffany Teo reaches Asian Games final

NAGOYA – Singaporean mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Tiffany Teo is one victory away from a gold medal in her Asian Games debut, after the 36-year-old triumphed in the semi-finals on Sept 21.

At the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center, Teo defeated India’s Suchika Tariyal in the women’s traditional 60kg semi-final.

The veteran athlete advances to the final on Sept 22, where she will face Khilola Sobirova of Uzbekistan, who beat Cambodia’s Cheng Dalin in the earlier semi-final.

On Sept 20, Teo defeated her Iranian opponent Arezou Salimighalehtaki by unanimous decision in the quarter-finals to claim Singapore’s first Asiad medal in the sport.

With both losing semi-finalists awarded joint-bronze medals, Teo was assured of at least a medal regardless of the result of her semi-final.

After the overtime victory in her bout, Teo said: “I’m glad that I did enough to get the win because the gold medal has always been the end goal. So I came into this match determined to get the win.”

Looking ahead to the final, she added: “I focus on things within my control, and I believe that by putting forth my best effort, my best skill set, it will lead me to the goal of the gold medal.”

Teo’s victory in Aichi-Nagoya kicks off the second day of action at the Asian Games, with Singapore’s swimmers returning to the pool at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre a day after Gan Ching Hwee’s historic 1,500m freestyle silver medal.

The 304-strong contingent’s current medal tally includes a bronze from wushu exponent Zeanne Law in the women’s taijiquan-taijijian, with other Singaporeans in action on Sept 21 in 3x3 basketball, artistic gymnastics, shooting, table tennis, triathlon and wushu.

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