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20-year-old ju-jitsu athlete Noah Lim has won the first gold medal for Singapore at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Won despite injury

Lim beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Khang followed by Malaysia’s Adam Akasyah before advancing to the under-69kg finals.

On May 6, 2023, he made quick work against his opponent from Laos, Jedidiah Slayman Phomsavath, at the Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Lim made his Laos opponent submit within 45 seconds, despite having dislocated the pinky finger on his dominant hand one week prior to the final match.

As a result of his injury, Lim said in a report by CNA he had to "change his approach" and fought mostly with his other hand.

While fighting with one hand was admittedly much "harder", Lim said he chose to focus on what he could control and tried to do his best on the mat.

Third consecutive SEA Games gold

And that's exactly what he did, emerging victorious with his third consecutive gold medal at the SEA Games.

He clinched his first gold during his debut in the under-62kg ju-jitsu event at the 2019 Philippines SEA Games.

Lim, who was only 16 years old then, made history by becoming the first Singaporean gold medallist in the sport.

He moved up a weight class and competed in the under-69kg division in the 2022 Hanoi SEA Games, where he won his second gold medal.

Lim will have a shot at another gold medal during the No-Gi men's under-69kg event on May 7.

About SEA Games

Lim's teammate, Amirul Syafiq, 30, has emerged with a joint-bronze in his debut in the under-62 kg event.

The Singapore contingent consists of 558 athletes competing in 30 sports.

As of the time of writing, Singapore has clinched 11 medals in the 32nd SEA Games – five golds, two silvers and 4 bronzes.

The SEA Games kicked off in Cambodia on May 5 and will conclude on May 17.

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Top image from Team Singapore and Low Yen Ling's Facebook