Marissa fell to Indonesia's Sanistyarani in a playoff for bronze. Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan
As national karateka Marissa Hafezan left the mixed zone disconsolate after her loss to Indonesia’s 2018 bronze medallist Cok Istri Agung Sanistyarani in the bronze medal bout of the women’s -55kg event, it was kata athlete Shannon Leong who came rushing to embrace the 20-year-old.
Leong had finished her competition two days earlier in the women’s kata and also narrowly missed out on the podium after falling to Vietnam's Bui Ngoc Nhi in her bronze medal match.
But noticing that her roommate and junior was distraught after her loss, the 27-year-old came rushing from the stands to her aid.
Speaking before her medal match, Marissa was already effusive in her praise of the support her senior athlete had shown her.
“It’s the first time that I've roomed with Shannon in the three years that I've been with the team, and honestly, she has been an immense support. She’s such a positive person.”
“She lost yesterday in the bronze medal match, but she was still smiling when she came out while I was bawling my eyes out. So, she really complements me in a really great way. When I doubt (myself), she's here to support me.”
Marissa could also rely on another dependable voice in the crowd, belonging to her sister and national athlete Nelisa.
Cheers of “Allez Marissa”, which is French for “Go Marissa”, rang through the Toyohashi Gymnasium during all three of her bouts on Tuesday (Sep 22), even occasionally drowning out opposing supporters.
Together with Nelisa, Marissa’s parents also flew in from Paris, where they are based, to Nagoya to support her.
“It’s always a reassuring voice. In between the bouts and when they award points, I always look at her and trust her with my whole heart. It means a lot that she was here today.”
“She shouts at me, and sometimes I don’t understand, but her voice is reassuring.”
Still smarting from the loss in the immediate aftermath, Marissa cut a disappointed figure as she fielded questions from the media.
“I'm just disappointed because it feels like I should have known how to deal with this. This is not my first medal match…I just want to build on it before the World Championships. That was always my main objective.”
“But having a medal at the Asian Games would have been really incredible,” said the SEA Games gold medallist.
Headed to the WKF Cadet, Junior and U21 World Championships in Poland next month, Marissa is hoping to take her experience in Nagoya and use it to bounce back there.
“I feel that these types of moments, you take it as a learning curve, and then the next time you don't do it again,” she added.
On her debut appearance, Marissa received a bye into the quarter-final where she faced U21 world and Asian champion Fatemehzahra Saeidabadi. She fell 9-1 but earned a second chance through the repechage and returned to the mats a while later against Laos’ Pa Torvanhxai.
An early yuko (one-pointer) put her in the lead before she sealed a 2-0 win to progress to the bronze medal decider.
Against three-time Karate One Premier League medallist Cok Istri Agung Sanistyarani, Marissa showed her trademark aggression, catching the Indonesian off guard and landing an ippon (three-pointer) with a slick kick to the jugular as her opponent lunged forward.
“I felt like I let the size of the occasion, being a medal match, affect me, and I didn’t fight up to my level. I am really disappointed about that.”
The match eventually ended 7-3 in her opponent’s favour.
Still, there will be plenty of opportunities for redemption for the youngster, including a title defence at next year’s SEA Games.
In the men’s -75kg, SEA Games bronze medallist Isaiah Tang came up against a familiar opponent in the round of 16.
Tang also met Nazim Nurlanov in the opening round of the 2024 U21 Asian Karate Championships and lost 9-3 as the Kyrgyz went on to clinch the silver.
This time, Tang contested a much tighter affair, battling to a 4-3 loss, even landing a Waza Ari (two-pointer) on his opponent.
“I was a lot less afraid of him. Back then I knew that fighters from these countries are of a very high level. But having fought him before and watching some of his matches before today, I know that I have improved and can have a fighting chance against him.”
Competing at his second major Games after last December’s SEA Games, Tang relished the opportunity to gain more exposure at international tournaments.
“It’s not frequent that I can fight these high-level players, which helps me gain more experience and learning… Asia is also really big on karate.”
Also headed to Poland for his first, and last, U21 world championships, owing to his age, Tang felt that the Asiad provided the right amount of preparation ahead of it.
“I hope to win a few matches there and fight some of the really tough guys there and get a feel.”
Having taken leave from his National Service commitments to compete at the Games, it has been a journey of sacrifices for the young athlete, who also sustained a strain in his Achilles tendon in May.
But being able to compete in front of his parents in Japan was worth all the sacrifices.
“It’s really nice to see them. They also came to spend time with me yesterday.”
The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.