Dream Come True As Jing Xuan Sets New Games Record In Women’s Javelin

By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

KUCHING, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- It’s mission accomplished for Sarawak athlete Ng Jing Xuan after she realised her dream of breaking the women’s javelin Games record, which stood for 16 years,  in her final appearance in the Malaysia Games here today.

In the final at the Sarawak Stadium, Jing Xuan hurled the javelin to a distance of 45.12 metres (m) to defend the gold medal she won at the previous edition in Kuala Lumpur.

Although it was still short of her personal best of 45.57m, it was still enough to eclipse the old Games mark of 44.98m set by Ho Sin Hui of Sarawak at the 2008 edition in Terengganu.

“I am happy because I contributed one gold medal to my state, Sarawak. So, I’m grateful and also delighted. As I said, (this is my) last Sukma, so my goal was to break the Games record (and I did it),” she said.

Terengganu’s Noor Aliya Alias (39.11m) took silver and Sabah’s Maryjane Juberin (39.01m) settled for bronze.

Jing Xuan could still add to her medal collection when she competes in the shot put final, but the 20-year-old is not willing to set any specific targets.

Javelin, though, is still her pet event.

“Javelin is a very fun event for me because it’s a technical event. So, you have to handle like every single technique to make a perfect throw. That’s why I think it’s quite an interesting event,” said Jing Xuan, who idolises world women’s javelin record holder Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic.

Her world record throw of 72.28m was set in 2008.

Meanwhile, Selangor’s Esther Joy Hong Li Chen bagged her second gold medal of SUKMA 2024 by emerging triumphant in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase final, having earlier won the 5,000m gold on Monday.

The 21-year-old clocked 12 minutes and 12.66 seconds (s) to clinch gold as Sarawak’s Clezendra Chanda Cevester Empari (12:31.58s) came in second and Sabah’s Ledia Engku (12:49.72s) third.

Terengganu athlete Muhammad Fahrin Aiman Yusmizan failed to achieve his mission of breaking the Games record of 9:20.25s in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase when he could only clock 9:48.89s.

Selangor’s G. Mathan Raj (10:02.12s) and Sarawak’s Faris Khuzairie Faizal (10:05.52s) settled for silver and bronze.

-- BERNAMA