Ayub: Months of preparation, now it is time to deliver

PETALING JAYA: National weightlifting athletes have been given the best preparation for the Glasgow Common- wealth Games, and Malaysian Weightlifting Federation president Datuk Ayub Rahmat hopes they can deliver a strong showing when they start competing on Sunday.

The athletes had been training and preparing overseas in Turkiye, and now comes the moment for them to prove that the efforts were worth it when they compete at the SEC Armadillo.

“The hard work and training camps in Rompin and Turkiye are done. It’s time to deliver,” said Ayub.

“We have done everything possible to prepare our athletes, now it’s all up to them,” he said.

Ayub also delivered a motivational address to the team in Glasgow via video call on Wednesday, who have been given the target of three gold medals at the Games.

Malaysia have sent nine lifters to Glasgow, namely Aniq Kasdan (60kg), Aznil Bidin (65kg), Erry Hidayat (79kg), Hafizuddin Roslin (88kg), Mohd Syahmi (94kg), Farris Haikal (110kg and above) and women lifters Irene Jane Henry (48kg), Nur Syazwani Radzi (63kg) and Siti Aqilah Farhana (86kg and above).

Aniq will be aiming to add to his medal tally after winning the 55kg at the 2022 Birmingham Games, setting a Games record total of 249kg.

The 24-year-old got a boost of confidence when he clinched silver at the Asian Championships in India in May, lifting a total of 277kg in the 60kg category.

His personal best is currently 297kg.

Aznil is also among Malaysia’s gold medal prospects after winning in the 62kg category in Gold Coast in 2018 and in the 61kg event in Birmingham in 2022.