AFTER years of battling doping scandals and waning performances, Malaysian weightlifting is enjoying a resurgence, led by the record-breaking feats of 22-year-old Aniq Kasdan.
Competing in the under-61kg category, Aniq’s outstanding efforts this year have inspired renewed hope for the sport, which was dropped from the Youth and Sports Ministry’s core programme in 2017.
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According to New Straits Times, his breakthrough came at the Paris Olympics in August, where he narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth with a combined lift of 297kg—just one kilogram short of bronze medallist Hampton Morris from the United States.
Aniq’s lift set a new national record and marked the closest any Malaysian weightlifter has come to securing an Olympic medal.
The feat reignited confidence in Malaysian weightlifting, with Aniq’s journey serving as a reminder that the nation can compete at the highest level.
The achievement served as a wake-up call for authorities, leading the Youth and Sports Ministry to prioritise talent development in weightlifting, as well as archery, taekwondo and shooting.
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Next year, these sports will be allocated an extra RM1 million in funding.
Aniq’s stellar form extended beyond Paris. In September, he set another national record with a 298kg lift at the Commonwealth Championships in Fiji, securing gold.
He was joined on the podium by Aznil Bidin (men’s under-67kg), Rahimi Sulaiman Lat (men’s under-55kg), and Nurul Syasya Khairina Samsur (women’s junior under-59kg), all of whom clinched gold medals.
December saw Aniq claim two silver medals in the clean and jerk and snatch events at the World Championships in Bahrain, capping off a phenomenal year.
Next year, the Malaysian weightlifting squad will face major tests at the World Championships in Norway (Oct 1-10) and the Thailand Sea Games in December.
