Jonah can’t believe he’s the first to throw shot putt beyond 18m

PETALING JAYA: National shot putter Jonah Chang Rigan (pic) woke up feeling good.

But even the Sarawakian could not believe that he has now become the first Malaysian to hurl a distance over the 18 metres mark in shot putt. And he did it in style by rewriting his own national record twice in the Pahang Open at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan yesterday.

The 21-year-old was truly in his element when he won the gold with a distance of 18.46m. Even before that attempt, he had recorded 18.09m to break the previous national record of 17.67m, which he had set last year at the Mokpo International Championships in South Korea.

He is now the undisputed national number one in the shot putt event.

“Breaking 18.09 was crazy, and then rewriting it was unexpected. Before coming to Kuantan, I felt good, but I did not expect to rewrite the national record,” he said.

“I’m glad that I maintained my form.”

In the blue riband event, Mohd Haiqal Hanafi continued his dominance in the Super Series when he won the men’s 100m dash with a time of 10.53s. Efrain Feerzan Qhan came in second (10.82s), while Aqil Yasmin took bronze (10.97s).

National sprinter Jonathan Nyepa was disqualified from the race due to a false start.

In the men’s 400m, national runner Umar Osman, who is returning to action after six months, won the gold by setting a time of 47.80s.

High jumper Moh Khye Doong shared the gold with Dzul Darwisy Adam Khairulaswari and Danial Ubaidullah Zamzaimon as all had cleared 1.90m.

Selangor’s Khye Doong said: “My personal best is 2.00m. I didn’t have the form today, I just felt so tired but I’m glad I still managed to finish on top.”

In the women’s category. Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli won the women’s 100m race with a time of 11.73s followed by her national teammate Nur Afrina Batrisyia Rizal (12.08s) and Nurul Faizah Asma (12.48s).

Triple jumper Nurul Ashikin Abas continued her winning streak in the Super Series when she won gold by recording a distance of 13.23m.

“After three series, I have collected 30 points. My outing in Pahang was better than the last leg in Perak, where I managed only 13.07m,” said the 23-year-old.