Syahmi’s gold ends notion that Malaysia can only dominate lighter weight categories

Full of joy: (From left) Silver medallist Alex Bellemarrll of Canada, gold medallist Syahmi Nor Ghazali and bronze medallist Riley Oliver Saxton posing on the podium. — AP

PETALING JAYA: Opponents used to make light of Malaysia’s chances in the heavier weight categories. Not anymore.

National weightlifter Syahmi Nor Ghazali’s gold medal in the men’s 94kg event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games has shown that Malaysia can also compete with the best in the heavier weight categories.

Making his Commonwealth Games debut, Syahmi knew he faced an uphill battle in one of weightlifting’s toughest divisions.

But the success of his senior teammates, particularly Hafizuddin Roslin’s victory in the men’s 88kg event, gave him the belief that he too could strike gold despite the quality of the field.

Competing at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Armadillo, Syahmi was locked in a thrilling battle with Canada’s Alex Bellemarre from the opening lift but won by just 1kg.

He finished with a total lift of 347kg, comprising 150kg in the snatch and a Games record of 197kg in the clean and jerk.

Bellemarre took silver with a total of 346kg after lifting 159kg in the snatch and 187kg in the clean and jerk, while Australia’s Oliver Saxton claimed bronze with 336kg from lifts of 156kg and 180kg respectively.

“I wanted to prove that Malaysian weightlifters are capable of succeeding in the heavier weight categories too.

“Winning a medal in this division is never easy because the competition is so strong, but after Hafizuddin won gold, I believed I could do it as well.

“I’m grateful that I managed to become only the second Malaysian to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in one of the heavier weight categories,” said Syahmi.

It was the weightlifting team’s fifth gold medal in Glasgow following the triumphs of Aniq Kasdan (60kg), Aznil Bidin (65kg), Erry Hidayat (79kg) and Hafizuddin Roslin (88kg).

Since Malaysia made their weightlifting debut at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, the country’s medals have largely come from the lighter weight divisions.

Before Syahmi’s breakthrough, the last Malaysian to win a Commonwealth Games medal in a heavier weight category was Che Mohd Azrul Che Mat, who claimed bronze in the men’s 105kg event at Melbourne 2006.

Interestingly, Malaysia’s current head coach Edmund Yeo also won bronze in the men’s 105kg category at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.