Quiet show by Malaysian athletes on last day in Gumi
HL
Quiet show by Malaysian athletes on last day in Gumi
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's women's 4x100m finished sixth in the Asian Athletics Championships at the Gumi Civic Stadium in South Korea today.
The quartet of Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli, Azreen Nabila Alias, Nur Afrina Batrisyia Rizal and Nur Aishah Rofina Aling
clocked 44.75. They had set a national record of 44.58 to win bronze in the 2023 Sea Games.
In Gumi, the Chinese team (43.28) won gold, India (43.86) and Thailand (44.26) took the silver and bronze respectively.
In men's pole vault, Naufal Shahrul
Afzam, who has a personal best of 5.10m, cleared 4.97m to finish 14th out of 15 athletes. World Championships silver medallist Ernst John Obiena of the Philippines (5.77m) won gold, China's Huang Bokai (5.72m) and Thailand's Patsapong Amsamarng (5.67m) finished second and third respectively.
Malaysia ended the five-day Asian meet with one bronze medal delivered by Irfan Shamsuddin in men's discus.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
17 minutes ago
- The Star
What price glory?
Firdaus came to prominence when he won a bronze medal at the World Junior Track Cycling Championships. IN a small corner of the Youth and Sports Ministry, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee from the Bike And Bean cafe greets visitors, yet behind the pleasant scent lies the story of former cycling hero Mohd Firdaus Mohd Zonis, once hailed as a great hope in Malaysia's track cycling arena. His name began to make waves among local sports fans in 2014 when he delivered a bronze medal at the World Junior Track Cycling Championships, an achievement that established him as one of the nation's most promising prospects. That triumph at a young age made him the first Malaysian since Adiq Husainie (2008) to step onto the podium in the men's 1km time trial, earning him a place among the successors to Datuk Azizulhasni Awang. The achievement was further cemented by the national junior record in the 200m sprint, which still stands to this day, a silent testament to his prowess on the track. However, behind the cheers and podium finishes lay a story seldom told – the physical exhaustion, mental pressure, and injuries that gradually eroded his fighting spirit. Firdaus with his gold medal after winning the junior keirin event while Azizulhasni Awang took silver in the elite category at the 2014 Asian Cycling Championships in Kazakhstan. 'Moving up to the senior level, the training got heavier. I felt I wasn't good enough even though I gave my best. Small recurring injuries eventually became a big burden,' said Firdaus, recalling the period when his passion began to fade. Everything came to a head when he was diagnosed with L4 and L5 slip disc injuries, forcing him to make the painful decision to end a career he had dreamed of since childhood far earlier than expected. Although he once sank into disappointment, Firdaus found his own way to rise again after hanging up his bike – by shifting his path to bicycle repairs. For Firdaus, success does not necessarily come in the form of medals hanging around the neck, but in the ability to get back up, find life's meaning after sport, and most importantly, heal oneself. 'I hope there will be more awareness about burnout among young athletes, so they know they are not alone and that there is support if they need it,' he said. Firdaus' experience is not an isolated case, as former national junior tennis player Wan Abdul Muiz Wan Aziz went through a similar phase. Mohd Firdaus Mohd Zonis said physical exhaustion, mental pressure and injuries gradually eroded his fighting spirit. — Cycle Eighty Eight Sdn Bhd Facebook Once ranked sixth in Malaysia at the age of 16, Wan Abdul Muiz admitted that early success came with extraordinary pressure. The Kelantan-born athlete, who started playing tennis at the age of 10, was once considered one of the country's brightest talents, but the glitter came at a heavy price. 'People think kids just enjoy playing. But the pressure from coaches, parents, or even oneself is very heavy. 'At one point I felt lazy to train and started to question what all this meant,' he said. Training for eight to 10 hours a day while juggling academic responsibilities and high expectations caused Muiz to lose interest in the sport he once loved. What made it worse was that requests for help were often met with stigma. Wan Abdul Muiz Wan Abdul Aziz was once ranked sixth in Malaysia at the age of 16. 'Our culture sometimes assumes that if you can't take it, you're weak. Mental health support for young athletes is very limited. Many don't understand the emotional burden we carry,' he said. The stories of Firdaus and Muiz are a reminder that behind the roaring cheers lies the silent side of sports – a challenge that demands more than just physical strength, but also resilience of the heart and mental well-being. — Bernama
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
No changes to mountain climbing rules despite recent deaths
THE country has issued no warnings or restrictions for mountaineering expeditions in the north, an official said, despite the recent deaths of climbers. Climbers were well aware of the harsh weather and all the other risks and challenges, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the northern region home to some of the world's highest mountains. 'Despite that, they willingly accept these challenges and come here to attempt these summits,' he said yesterday. Chinese climber Guan Jing, 37, was the latest person to perish on one of Pakistan's mountains. She died last Tuesday after being hit by falling rocks on K2, the world's second-highest peak known for its treacherous slopes and extreme weather conditions. Rescue teams recovered her body on Saturday. Her body was still in the mortuary of the Combined Military Hospital in Skardu yesterday. Contact has been made with Chinese authorities in Islamabad, and 'now it is up to them to make further decisions in this regard,' said Faraq. Jing's death occurred several weeks after German mountaineer and Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier died while attempting Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range. Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at the request of their families. But if the family declines a rescue, the remains are left at the spot where the climber died. Faraq said authorities were trying to provide climbers with better infrastructure, rescue facilities, security and a friendly environment. Mountaineering expeditions are the backbone of the local economy, bringing in millions of dollars in direct revenue. A large number of people work on these expeditions from May to September, feeding their families for the whole year with these earnings, Faraq added. Hundreds of climbers try to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year. Accidents are common because of avalanches and sudden weather changes. Last August, two Russians spent six days stranded on a remote peak before they were rescued. — AP
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Andre springs back with bronze boost, eyes SEA Games high
Proud moment: Andre (left) and Ashikin (right) with their coach Firdaus at the Silk Road to Tokyo meet in Tashkent. — Ahmad Firdaus Salim PETALING JAYA: National jumper Andre Anura Anuar is back in business and ready to chase double glory at the SEA Games in Thailand this December. The 24-year-old clinched bronze in the long jump at the Silk Road to Tokyo Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Saturday with a leap of 7.70m.
