
Malaysia eyes medal win at 2025 Asian Athletics
MALAYSIA Athletics (MA) president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is confident that the national squad will not return home empty-handed from the five-day Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, South Korea from Wednesday (May 27).
He said that this is based on the performances of the athletes bound for the championships and the presence of discus thrower Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin, who won a medal in the previous edition two years ago.
'That is my opinion (that we won't return empty-handed). Based on the achievements of some of our athletes, they have won medals before, like Irfan has won a silver and a bronze.
'So, we hope all those competing there (in Gumi) will give their best,' he told reporters when met at the flag handing-over ceremony to the national team who will be competing in Gumi.
Malaysia will be sending 29 athletes to Gumi, comprising 18 men and 11 women.
In the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Malaysia won a bronze medal through Muhammad Irfan, who hurled the discus to a distance of 59.63 metres.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Shahidan in 4-cornered race to lead Malaysian Athletics Federation
Arau MP Shahidan Kassim (centre) was first elected Malaysian Athletics Federation president in 2022. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : The race for the post of Malaysian Athletics Federation president is expected to be a hotly contested battle between the current and former presidents, with two others also joining the fray. Incumbent Shahidan Kassim is expected to face a four-cornered fight in the June 15 election for the 2025-2029 term. Past president and Perak Amateur Athletics Association president Karim Ibrahim is contesting for the post again, as well as incumbent Malaysian Athletics Federation deputy president Mark William Ling and Terengganu Amateur Athletics Association president Wan Hisham Wan Salleh. Karim and Wan Hisham are also in the running for the post of Malaysian Athletics Federation deputy president, while R Annamalai, Sallehuddin Safar and Mohamat Hasan have also thrown their hats into the ring. An intense battle is on the cards for the four posts of vice-president, which includes one reserved for a woman representative, with nine candidates in contention. Those aspiring for posts in the Malaysian Athletics Federation can be nominated and registered as a candidate for more than one post. However, on the day of the election, they must choose only one post to vie for. The Malaysian Athletics Federation has 13 affiliates, comprising delegations from 13 associations. Each association will be represented by three delegates during polling.


New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
Shahidan faces challenge from 3 men for MA's top post
KUALA LUMPUR: Three men will join Malaysia Athletics (MA) president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim in the race for the top post in the national association's AGM-cum-election (for 2025-2029 term) on June 15. Datuk Seri Wira Mark Ling (incumbent deputy president), Perak's Datuk Karim Ibrahim and Terengganu's Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh will line up against Shahidan. Shahidan received four nominations, while Mark, the president of Negri Sembilan Athletics, received two nominations. Former MA president Karim and Wan Hisham received one nomination each. Mark, who is also MA coaching committee chairman, is going for broke. If he loses in his presidential bid, he will have no position at all in the national association. Five candidates are vying for the deputy president's post. They are Datuk R. Annamalai, Kari Ibrahim, Mohamat Hasan, Sallehudin Safar and Wan Hisham. Shahidan said: "I'm ready to face the challenges from the three candidates with an open heart. "Malaysia is a democratic country and anyone can challenge for the president's post."


The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Irfan Shamsuddin Eyes SEA Games Record in Bangkok
SEPANG: Coach Frank Petrovic has thrown down the gauntlet to national discus thrower Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin, winner of six straight SEA Games gold medals, to break the regional Games' record in the upcoming Thailand edition in December. Petrovic feels that the regional Games would be the perfect setting for the 30-year-old athlete to carve another milestone in his glittering career, following his 58.82-metre (m) bronze medal effort at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, on Friday (May 30). 'We have two main targets (for him) this year. This (Asian Athletics Championships) was the first. Now, we will go through the competition season and then he will have to peak one more time at the end of the year in Bangkok. 'There (at the SEA Games), it appears very easy but there is a Games record to beat, (and) not just win (the gold medal),' he told reporters when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 in Sepang, yesterday. The SEA Games discus record of 59.50m is held by former Singapore throw king James Wong Tuck Yim, which he set in the 1999 Brunei edition. Muhammad Irfan, though has a personal best of 62.55m (also the national record), which he set at the Austrian Athletics Championships in Linz, Austria in 2017. The Malaysian's season best is 60m, which he recorded at the Queensland Athletics Championships in Australia in March. For the record, Muhammad Irfan won his first SEA Games gold medal at the 2013 edition in Naypyidaw, Myanmar - a year after Petrovic started coaching him - before going on to emerge triumphant in the 2015 Singapore, 2017 Kuala Lumpur, 2019 Philippines and 2021 Hanoi and 2023 Phnom Penh editions. Elaborating, Petrovic hopes to see the tough training the Negeri Sembilan-born athlete has undergone this season bear fruit in competitions in Europe. 'In Europe, the competition season just started... you have many opportunities to show what shape you are in. So, it is the best time for Irfan to go to Europe, compete and achieve his targets,' said the Slovakian coach. The 2025 SEA Games in Thailand will be from Dec 9-20.