Elijah William Hinzman makes history at 2026 Muaythai World Championships

Jakarta - Indonesian muaythai athlete Elijah William Hinzman has made history by winning a silver medal at the IFMA World Championship 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “Elijah William Hinzman’s success in securing a silver medal at the IFMA World Championships 2026 is a historic moment for muaythai in the country,” said Marciano Norman, Chairman of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) Centre, in an official statement received on Sunday. At the championship held from 16 to 26 June, Elijah carved out a new record by claiming silver, marking Indonesia’s best-ever achievement in the prestigious IFMA World Championships. Marciano explained that Elijah’s journey to the final, where he came close to becoming world champion, is clear evidence of the immense potential of Indonesian muaythai. The athlete of mixed Indonesian-Thai heritage delivered a stellar performance, winning all his preliminary bouts by technical knockout (TKO). He advanced through the qualifying rounds by defeating an opponent from Malaysia, then overcame fighters from Russia and Finland in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. Marciano praised Elijah’s outstanding performance in defeating tough opponents from various countries. “This extraordinary achievement on the world stage is a great source of pride for the entire Indonesian nation,” he said. The accomplishment, Marciano continued, proves that the athlete development programme run by the Indonesian Muaythai Executive Board (PB MI), led by La Nyalla Mattalitti, is on the right track. The East Java MI Provincial Board, led by Baso Juherman, the coaching team, and all parties behind the scenes have worked hard to forge Elijah’s talent so he could compete fiercely against the world’s best fighters. Marciano expressed hope that this historic momentum can be maintained and that Elijah’s success will motivate other muaythai athletes to continue working hard, improving discipline, and preparing for future international competitions to fly the Red and White flag on the world stage.