PETALING JAYA: Competing in the sprint and jumping events during her school days at SMK Sg Maong seemed like steep hurdles for Mandy Goh Li (pic).
She tried to make her mark in the 100m, 200m, 400m, high jump and long jump events but did not make much headway. So much so, her coach suggested another discipline that would combine her sprinting and jumping abilities in a better way - the hurdles.
Mandy leapt at the chance, and has not looked back since.
“I’ve been a hurdler since I was 18. I tried sprinting and jumping, but did not do too well in them until my school coach stepped in and said the hurdles would be good for me,” said the 24-year-old former Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) student.
“I made the switch and stuck at it, going on to win the Malaysia Games (Sukma) gold in 2022 and the Asean University Games silver medal last year for the 400m hurdles.
“Now I am based at the National Sports Council (NSC), looking to be faster in the new year. Training for the hurdles is not easy because it is technical, and you have to follow the time set by the coach.”
Mandy, who graduated last December with a degree in Physical Education, has a clear goal in mind for 2025.
She wants to dip below a minute in her event, with a specific time of 59s, and intends to do it at the Selangor Open from April 12-13.
“If I’m able to hit 59s, then I am going to the SEA Games in Bangkok.”
Mandy’s season best last year was in the Terengganu Open, where she clocked 1:01.36 to win gold.
Her personal best was in the Cambodia SEA Games two years ago, where she timed 1:00.70 to finish fourth in the final.
The national record for the 400m hurdles is still held by Noraseela Khalid, who clocked 56.02s in the Regensburg Domspitzmilch Gala in Regensburg, Germany, on June 17, 2006.
