KUALA LUMPUR, 1 September 2026 (The Capital Post) – Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) staged a dramatic comeback from a 0-12 deficit to defeat Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) 17-12 in the men’s rugby 7s final of the 2026 Higher Education Institutions Sports (SUKIPT) at Universiti Malaya (UM) yesterday.
The victory saw UPSI crowned new champions and secure their maiden gold medal in the men’s rugby 7s event at SUKIPT, while UKM settled for silver.
The final was witnessed by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Secretary-General YBhg. Datuk Ts. Dr. Hj. Aminuddin Hassim, who later presented medals to the winners.
YBhg. Datuk Ts. Dr. Hj. Aminuddin Hassim, a former rugby player, witnessed UPSI’s second-half resurgence as the team scored 17 points to overturn the 12-point deficit.
In the men’s third-place playoff, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) claimed bronze after defeating Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
In the women’s category, UiTM emerged champions after defeating Politeknik Malaysia 14-5, while UPSI also secured a bronze medal in the rugby 7s event.
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Also accompanying the MOHE Secretary-General was Strategic Planning Division Secretary, Fazidah Mustafa.
SUKIPT 2026, held from 28 August to 6 September, brings together 64 contingents involving 8,244 athletes from public and private higher education institutions, polytechnics and community colleges.
A total of 30 sports are being contested in the seventh edition of the Games, with 251 gold medals up for grabs throughout the tournament.
Beyond providing a competitive platform for student-athletes, SUKIPT 2026 also serves as a platform for MOHE to identify promising sporting talents who can be developed to a higher level, including representing the country in international competitions.
According to a post on the official Facebook page of Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi, sports fans and higher education community members can follow the latest updates and live broadcasts through the official SUKIPT Facebook page and website. – The Capital Post
