Malaysian fencing prodigy Saif Nordin delivered another exceptional performance at the 4th MFF International Malaysian Minime, capping off an impressive month with a gold medal in the U17 Cadet category.
In an exciting tournament which saw strong international participants, Saif once again proved his consistency. In a powerful performance in the final against Gale Brynt from the Philippines, he brought home the gold for Malaysia with a decisive 15 – 6 victory, a golden finish to the month of October.
“Happy to report that I picked up the gold medal at the U17 Cadet Malaysian Minime on Friday,” Saif said, clearly proud yet composed after his latest victory.
When speaking with the media, Saif commented, “What I enjoy at these tournaments it is a chance to catch up with friends from around the region including, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines to name a few.”
When speaking about the fencing, he went on to say, “All the matches were good. Two stand out, the quarter final against my friend from down under Aaron Chong Jun Yu who fought hard especially considering he had just finished fencing the final in the other category and the final match against Gale Brynt from the Philippines.”
This victory adds to a growing list of accomplishments for the young Malaysian. Saif recently captured gold at the South East Asia Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Junior Championship, a result that propelled him up the national junior (Under 21) rankings. He also placed 18th in the Singapore Satellite, his first FIE ranking event of the 2025/26 season.
Saif’s coach, Andrew Mok Vern Han, praised both his athletic development and his character. “As a coach, I’m happy to see Saif grow as an athlete and as a fencer. He remains grounded despite his success, the next day he came back to support his younger team mates in the team events. This is the type of culture we want to build at the club. Too much can be focused on the winning and the winners, as young fencers move from youth fencers to high performance, they need the right environment around them and stay focused on the process not just the results. It’s not easy because everyone loves standing on the podium.”
Andrew Mok, who himself won the bronze medal in the Men’s Individual Foil at the Commonwealth Junior Fencing Championships in 2012, brings both experience and vision to Saif’s development.
When asked about the way forward for this generation of young athletes, Coach Andrew commented, “We have all seen the documents, at the international level, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) released its Strategic plan 2025-2028 which mentions tie-ups with international bodies like UNESCO and UNHCR.”
He went on to explain, “Here in Malaysia, at the national level the National Sports Policy and National Sports Vision (VSN) 2030 speaks of “by the community, for the community” model that aims to balance public and private funding for infrastructure and elite sports with grassroots development. We need to see logos on backdrops and jerseys. Funds need to reach the programs which will build our champions.”
Beyond the piste, Saif continues to build his profile as a young sports influencer and ambassador for the modern Malaysian youth. As a young sports influencer, Saif has attempted to redefine the idea of funding for sports, he represents a young demographic and speaks to a community that is interested in a healthy lifestyle, travel and success. Not shy in front of the camera, his modelling allows him to bring an additional element to a story, product shoot. Saif speaks, English, Mandarin and Malay, he has made TV appearances in all three languages.
His approach to branding and partnerships has paid off. Saif is sponsored by leading fencing equipment supplier Starmax Fencing, Yayasan MBI the foundation under the Selangor Government’s investment arm MBI Incorporated, Japanese Healing for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Ian the Chiro and is part of the SportExcel “Dedicated Athlete Program”.
Fencing’s appeal continues to grow in Malaysia and across Asia. As a sport that offers up to 12 gold medals across its various weapons and gender categories at multisport events like the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics, it provides fertile ground for nations looking to broaden their medal prospects. In contrast football or soccer can only generate two, the smart money for many countries is shifting to the sport of fencing.
As Saif’s journey continues, he remains a standout example of the new generation of Malaysian athletes combining performance, personality, and purpose.
Saif Nordin has a media tie-up with News Hub Asia.