MA Prepared To Formulate Best Plan To Optimise Grace Wong's Potential - Karim

By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

BANGKOK, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The achievement of national women hammer throw ace Grace Wong Xiu Mei in winning the gold medal at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand and breaking the Games record four consecutive times is a remarkable feat that should not be taken lightly.

Malaysian Athletics (MA) president Datuk Karim Ibrahim said Grace's ability to shatter the record on four occasions and register a throw exceeding 65 metres demonstrated her strong potential to compete at a higher level.

He said MA would bring the matter to the attention of the National Sports Council (NSC) to formulate the most suitable development programme for Grace, with a medium-term focus on the 2026 Asian Games and the 2026 Commonwealth Games, before targeting the World Championships in 2027.

“This is a rare achievement at the SEA Games and even at the Asian level. She broke the record four times and surpassed the mark set by the 2022 Asian Games bronze medallist (64.14m).

“We have a special plan for her to represent Malaysia at the Asian Games. There is still time, and she has two major tournaments ahead, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. I am confident that by 2027, she will be ready to compete at the World Championships.

“For me, this performance is not only a surprise at the SEA Games but also to athletes across Asia,” he said when met by Bernama here.

At Suphachalasai Stadium yesterday, Grace delivered a superb performance to clinch the gold medal while breaking the Games record on four occasions.

The 25-year-old Sarawakian began with a throw of 63.34 metres, surpassing her previous Games record of 61.87m set at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

She then set a new Games record and erased the national mark of 63.53m — which she had established at the Malaysian Athletics Championships in Kangar, Perlis, last August — with a second throw of 63.83m.

Grace continued her record-breaking display with a third attempt of 65.09m, setting both new Games and national records, before sealing her dominance with a fourth throw of 65.41m to confirm her hold on the gold medal.

Yesterday’s triumph marked Grace’s fourth SEA Games gold in the hammer throw event, following her victories at the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur, the 2021 edition in Vietnam and the 2023 edition in Cambodia.

Karim said that as a token of appreciation, MA will reward Grace with RM4,000 for her outstanding achievement.

Commenting on Grace’s training programme in China, Karim said it would be continued, as exposure to world-class competitions and athletes is crucial for enhancing performance.

“When we see positive results and strong achievements, there is no reason not to continue. The level of competition in China is extremely high and world-class, which is why we want her to keep training there,” he said.

Meanwhile, Karim said MA remains committed to ensuring comprehensive support for Grace and other athletes, including participation in selected international competitions, to achieve further record-breaking performances — whether at the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games or the 2027 SEA Games.

-- BERNAMA