12-05-2025
Global glory, national snub
Soh Wai Ching is the best vertical marathon runner on earth, yet he is a reject in his own country.
The tower running world champion has been locked out of today's Anugerah Sukan Negara (ASN), the national sports awards.
The national sports council (NSC) has cold-shouldered him, drawing the line at stair climbing being a non-Olympic discipline.
Soh's heart is heavy with sorrow: 'I couldn't even get the application form from NSC to apply for recognition.'
The irony is that in ASN 2022, he made the criteria when he was ranked world number one, and was honoured with a special award in the following year.
Soh said he expected at least the courtesy of an application form for ASN 2024 after winning the world title at Taipei 101 in May last year.
Instead, the 30-year-old has found himself invisible to his nation's sports honours.
He wasn't even afforded the respect of an invitation to celebrate his world championship triumph on home soil.
'Let's be honest that being a non-Olympic athlete in Malaysia is an uphill battle,' said Soh.
That's how Malaysia overlooks its champions.
The cost of narrow definitions has far-reaching implications.
It weakens efforts to diversify a nation's sporting profile, discourages grassroots participation in emerging sports and leaves talented athletes financially stranded.
Young talents watching Soh's achievements and Malaysia's refusal to honour him may question the value of pursuing unconventional disciplines.
This exclusionary mindset threatens our ability to cultivate diverse sporting success and undermines the spirit of inclusivity that sport should embody.
Over time, such a narrow focus can stunt the growth of non‑Olympic sports, diminish medal prospects in multi‑sport events like the SEA Games, and weaken the broader sports landscape.
For non‑Olympic athletes, the lack of recognition at the highest level often translates into minimal media exposure, scant corporate sponsorship, and no structured ecosystem to sustain their careers.
Without visibility, potential backers perceive little return on investment; without funding, athletes must self‑finance training, equipment, travel and competition entry fees.
This tighter vicious cycle can force gifted competitors to abandon their discipline or settle for part‑time status, hampering Malaysia's ability to produce future champions in diverse arenas.
In this context, Soh's exclusion from ASN 2024 seems not just unfair to him, but detrimental to Malaysian sport as a whole.
It's a bad signal that Malaysia does not value global-level achievement in all sports.
Soh's sustained excellence arguably merits special consideration, even if tower running remains outside the Olympic charter.
Soh was world number one from April 2022 until October 2024, and is now second to Japanese Ryoji Watanabe, whom he has already beaten twice this year.
Last year, Soh competed in 38 competitions, with 30 wins in which he set 26 course records and 13 personal bests.
For those playing non‑Olympic sports, seeing a world champion denied the basic opportunity to apply for a national award sends a dispiriting message: unless your sport is on the Olympic roster, your achievements may never count.
This can erode motivation, shrink talent pools, and reinforce the notion that only a narrow subset of disciplines truly matter.
Recognising Soh would have had symbolic power far beyond one trophy.
It would have affirmed Malaysia's sporting identity embraces champions in every arena, Olympic or not.
It's time for a fundamental rethink of the national sports awards framework.
The ASN must introduce a special category dedicated to non-Olympic sports.
Those are disciplines that, while unrecognised by the Olympic charter, demand the same sacrifices, training intensity, and mental resilience as any other.
About privileged and non-privileged sports
Ravinder Singh, president of Malaysia tower running association, said the Soh affair was about privileged and non-privileged sport.
The youth and sports ministry has a list of 103 sports, half of which are non-privileged in the sense they get nothing, he said.
Many of them compete without government funding, without a supportive ecosystem, and without the facilities enjoyed by elite athletes.
In vertical marathon, Malaysia is currently ranked fifth in the world, with another Malaysian Muhammad Hazim Zuhairi, 23, at 11th in the individual standings.
In the female individual category, Michele Tan, Jennifer Chan and Valerie Ong are in 7th, 20th and 23rd positions respectively.
'Tower running is a minority sport but we have shown them that even without support, it's possible to become world champion.
'How can Malaysia call itself a sporting nation if it overlooks its own world champions?'
'If a world champion can be left in the cold, what hope is there for those chasing titles in lesser-known disciplines? fired Ravinder.
For him, when a country sidelines its world champions from lesser disciplines, it risks sending a message that only Olympic‑recognised sports merit support.
He stressed that his association was not demanding the highest award for Soh, 'rather fairness and transparency'.
'It's wrong to have an awards ceremony and not invite our own world champion.
'Being world champion is the highest you can get in any sport, and it looks like Soh will never get top recognition.
'Ideally, they should have invited Soh as his presence on stage would thrust him and tower running into national limelight.
'It would also attract sponsors because without visibility, potential backers would shy away,' said Ravinder.
Malaysia has few world champions in the sport, and Ravinder believes recognising them takes a small effort, 'but it makes a huge impact'.
'It gives them the strength to continue to raise their own funds and fuels the motivation to continue bringing glory to the country,' he added.
The frustration of Ravinder, himself an active tower runner, is palpable: the sting of Soh's exclusion cuts deeper than any stairwell climb.
'This just isn't about one athlete. It's about building a future where every Malaysian athlete is seen, supported and celebrated,' he said.
The case for a special category
A special slot would guarantee world-class achievers like Soh the chance to be celebrated.
This will ensure their efforts don't slip through the cracks simply because they climb stairs instead of pounding the tracks.
Malaysia's sporting authorities must embrace a broader definition of excellence, and make global triumphs – Olympic or not – equally worthy of celebration.
Selangor did it by naming Soh its best male athlete in 2023.
Expanding ASN eligibility will also be a national assertion that excellence knows no single pathway.
Only through inclusive recognition can we ensure that every Malaysian champion, regardless of discipline, feels valued and empowered.
Only then can we foster a truly comprehensive sporting culture that champions every Malaysian's drive to be the best.
Today, as applause echoes and lights shine on elite sports, lesser-known athletes may feel the weight of exclusion closing in.
The quiet truth for the quiet heroes is that they are all against a system that only honours Olympic pedigree.
For them, Soh's story isn't just heartbreaking – it's a stark, lived warning.
In their shoes, every medal weighs heavier, every record feels more fragile, and every victory risks slipping into oblivion once the spotlight turns elsewhere.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
