Ju-jitsu fighter Noah Lim conquers injury, wins Singapore’s first gold at 32nd SEA Games

PHNOM PENH: One week before he headed to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, ju-jitsu exponent Noah Lim dislocated his pinky.

He tried visiting a doctor, went to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, tried acupuncture and did physiotherapy - but still ended up on a plane to Cambodia nursing the injured little finger.

So he focused on what he could control.

"Of course I was very sad ... but there are things you can control and things you can't control. I focused on what I could control, I did my best to rest, iced my finger, massaged (it)," Lim told reporters.

"I can't even bend it fully even now. But again, that's outside my control. I just did what I can."

What Lim did was win Singapore’s first gold of the 32nd SEA Games, after submitting Laos’ Jedidiah Slayman Phomsavath in under a minute at the men’s under-69kg finals on Saturday (May 6).

This is the Singaporean’s third consecutive Games gold after wins in 2019 and 2022.

"It's always an honour for me to represent Singapore, and it is very nice to be back to the SEA Games," he told reporters.

"I was fighting (with) one hand and it was much harder. And the challenge was a much greater challenge for me. It's very nice that despite the injury I could still do my best and get the gold."

Lim dominated the competition at the Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Center from early on, beating Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Khang via submission before defeating Malaysia’s Adam Akasyah 4-0 in the semis.

Lim won Singapore’s first ever gold in the sport at the 2019 Games in the men’s under-62kg event.

"I feel very lucky to here ... to be at the SEA Games and to be able to compete," said Lim, who will next compete in the no-gi men's under-69kg event on Sunday.

His gold is Singapore’s