Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (PABM) has described its haul of five gold medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as a "clear signal" for the country's sports authorities to consider allocating at least RM1 million annually to further develop the sport.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, PABM president Datuk Ayub Rahmat stated that the allocation would be a fitting recognition of the national weightlifting squad's achievements and a morale booster, as the sport has now proven to be one of Malaysia's new gold medal prospects after its outstanding performance on the international stage. Ayub highlighted the financial challenges faced by the federation, emphasizing that they rely heavily on their own funds and have one of the smallest budgets among sports federations.
He mentioned that the athletes continue to face financial constraints, particularly in meeting their daily nutritional needs at the training centre, where the allocation is inadequate for a physically demanding sport such as weightlifting. Despite these challenges, Ayub expressed confidence that the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) would provide the necessary support to the federation, given their previous commitment.
Discussing the team's strategy in Glasgow, Ayub explained that the priority was to secure gold medals rather than chase national records, ensuring every tactical decision maximised Malaysia's chances of success. He acknowledged the risks involved in aiming for heavier lifts to break records, as it could jeopardize the athletes' ability to complete the lifts.
Ayub praised the current squad, describing them as a "crazy team" for achieving the target of five gold medals, a goal many had previously considered ambitious. Throughout the weightlifting competition at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, held from July 26, the national squad collected five gold medals, one silver, and one bronze to emerge as the overall weightlifting champions in Glasgow.
The five gold medals were won by Mohamad Aniq Kasdan in the men's 60kg category, Muhamad Aznil Bidin (65kg), Muhammad Erry Hidayat (79kg), Muhammad Hafizuddin Roslin (88kg), and Muhamad Syahmi Nor Ghazali (94kg).