From ‘Just For Fun’ To Asian Games Gold: Adeola’s Karate Journey

By Noorazlina Jindeh

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- What started as something she did “just for fun” has taken Sabah-born national karate exponent Adeola Fay Robert all the way to the top of Asian sport, after she delivered Malaysia’s first gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games recently.

The 20-year-old from Tambunan, a district in Sabah’s interior about 75 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu, said her journey in karate began at the age of seven when she tagged along to her older brother and sister’s training sessions.

“At first, I just followed my brother and sister and joined the karate training for fun. But when I entered a state-level competition at the age of eight, I won, and eventually represented Sabah at the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA), where I won silver.

“That was when the national coaches spotted me and asked me to attend a selection trial for the national team. Once I was selected, I realised I had a real opportunity to go further in karate,” she told Bernama.

Adeola marked her Asian Games debut in style, defeating Iran’s Fatemehzahra Saeidabadi 6-4 in the women’s under-55kg kumite final to claim gold.

She was also a member of the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) netball team in 2022 and competed in athletics before eventually committing fully to karate.

The youngest of three siblings, she has also won bronze at the Southeast Asian Karate Federation (SEAKF) Under-21 Championships last year, as well as silver at SUKMA 2024 and the 2026 SEAKF U21 Championships.

As a full-time athlete with the National Sports Council (NSC), she trains with the national team while pursuing her studies at the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) Ilmu Khas Campus in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Her daily routine begins as early as 6.30 am, followed by classes from 9 am to 4 pm before she returns to training in the afternoon.

“For the Asian Games, I underwent an intensive six-week centralised training programme from Monday to Saturday, covering gym sessions, fitness work and recovery,” she said.

Adeola admitted that life as a national athlete has not been easy, with considerable sacrifices required, particularly being away from her family in Sabah.

But she said balancing her studies with training had proved worthwhile after achieving success on the international stage.

She added that every competition had offered a different experience that helped her mature, particularly in managing her emotions under the pressure of competition.

“Winning this gold medal does not mean my journey is over because there is still so much to learn and improve on to maintain this momentum in the future,” she said.

“I hope to succeed not only as an athlete but also in my career, and to use this experience to inspire the younger generation,” Adeola said.

-- BERNAMA