A record is as good as gold for Ng

Malaysian javelin thrower Ng Jing Xuan in action during the Women Javelin final event at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand 2025.— MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

BANGKOK: Ng Jing Xuan (pic) smashed the national women’s javelin national record by 3m, hurling the spear to 52.17m.

It was still not good enough for gold at the Supachalasai Stadium yesterday but for the 21-year-old Sarawakian, it was as satisfying as a top of the podium finish.

After all, she had erased an 11-year-old mark and finally lifted a weight that had sat heavily on her shoulders for the past two seasons.

“This is my second SEA Games. In my first one in Cambodia, I finished fourth, so this result really means a lot to me,” said Jing Xuan, who is doing her Finance Degree at Sunway University.

Remarkably, Jing Xuan had never thrown beyond 50m even in training.

Her record-breaking throw improved on her previous personal best of 49.11m set at the Philippines Open in May by more than three metres.

It also surpassed the long-standing national record of 49.34m set by Siti Nur Nadiah Othman at the 2014 Thailand Open.

“It feels very special because the previous national record holder also did it in Thailand. Thailand is a very meaningful place to break records I guess,” she said.

The journey to this moment had been anything but smooth.

For nearly two years, Jing Xuan had chased the national record across major meets, from the World University Games to Asian competitions, only to fall short repeatedly.

“There were many times I felt frustrated. Every competition, I targeted the national record, but I couldn’t get it,” she said.

“Still, I didn’t give up. I knew the SEA Games was where I really had to push my limits.”

When the breakthrough finally came in her second attempt, emotion took over.

“My body didn’t feel like my own any more. My mind completely took over,” she recalled.

“When I saw 52 on the board, I was shocked. That was the number I had been chasing.

“Coach Ali Hamid kept telling me my potential was above 50. That really helped when I was struggling.”

Her composure was also tested early in the final after an opening throw of just over 42m.

Instead of panicking, she kept her cool.

“I accepted the first throw and refocused. I think this shows a big improvement in my mental strength,” she said.

Thailand’s Jariya Wichaidit claimed gold with 55.64m, while Indonesia’s Nur Kamila Bahtiar took bronze with 51.06m.