PETALING JAYA: It was truly a Merdeka month joy in Jakarta as the national underwater hockey team made history by securing the first ever title for the nation at the Asian Championships on Aug 8.
The feat by the Under-15 mixed team is a clear sign of the progress made by the Malaysia Underwater Hockey Association, made even more impressive considering they were only formed in 2019.
Malaysia fielded two teams in both the Under-15 and Under-19 divisions, with the standout result coming from the Under-15 Team A.
The team nearly achieved a flawless tournament, getting seven wins and one draw, as they propelled themselves to national history with a 5-4 victory against home team Cucut Underwater in the final.
The previous best any team achieved in the sport came in 2024 when the elite women’s team won bronze at the meet in Singapore.
Although the under-19 squad failed to bring back any silverware after finishing fourth, the association stated that the international exposure would only benefit the athletes in the future.
They also pointed out how the results in Jakarta proved that grassroots development combined with a long-term goal and patience was the perfect combination and should be done more throughout the country.
