Shot putter Nani keeps expectations in check

Malaysia’s national shot putter, Nani Sahirah Maryata winning the gold medal on the shot put event at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand 2025.— MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s shot putt queen Nani Sahirah Maryata is keeping her expectations in check in the Asian Throwing Championships starting today in Mokpo, South Korea.

But the 25-year-old SEA Games champion remains determined not to fall short in delivering a season-best performance in her first international outing this year.

Nani clinched gold at the Varsity Track and Field (VTF) 1 meet at Universiti Sains Malaysia Stadium in Penang last month, where she won with a throw of 14.83m.

“The gold has given me a boost ahead of Mokpo. Step by step progress is what I am going for,” she said.

Nani acknowledged there is still room for improvement, particularly in strength and technique,

“In Mokpo, I aim to be competitive and achieve a season’s best. If I break the national record, that will be a huge bonus,” she added.

Nani set the national record of 16.36m en route to gold at the Thailand SEA Games last year.

She is part of an 11-member Malaysian contingent in Mokpo, which includes fellow SEA Games champion Jonah Chang Rigan, Sadat Marzuqi Ajisan, Grace Wong and Nurul Hidayah Lukman (hammer); Queenie Ting Kung Ni, Kamal Farhan Rahman (discus); Ng Jing Xuan, Chai Kai Lee, Elrick Roslee and Cheah Wei Jun (javelin).

National coach Ali Hamid hoped the athletes would get to test themselves against world class opposition.

“This is an excellent opportunity for our athletes to gauge where they stand,’’ he said.

At the previous edition last year, discus thrower Mohd Irfan Shamsuddin secured a bronze with a throw of 59.88m.