SEA GAMES: REDEMPTION AS M'SIAN CONTINGENT GAIN POSITIVE MOMENTUM AHEAD OF 2027 HOME EDITION

By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

BANGKOK, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The dark chapter of the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s poorest outings at the biennial Games, was firmly put to rest as the 2025 edition in Thailand drew to a close here last night.

Despite logistical hurdles, most notably the late relocation of all events from Songkhla to Bangkok due to flooding, as well as competition venues scattered far from the city centre, the Malaysian contingent rose to the occasion and delivered a far more convincing campaign.

Not only did Malaysia surpass their haul of 34 gold, 45 silver and 97 bronze medals from Cambodia, they also closed the Thailand SEA Games with an improved tally of 57 gold, 57 silver and 117 bronze medals, bringing the overall count to 231.

The total comfortably exceeded the pre-Games target of 200 medals and marked Malaysia’s best overall medal haul at a SEA Games held outside Kuala Lumpur, eclipsing the previous record of 216 medals set at the 2007 edition in Korat, Thailand.

The 57 gold medals collected on Thai soil also represented Malaysia’s best gold medal return in six years, surpassing the 55 gold won at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

Malaysia’s improved showing saw them climb three places from seventh in the previous edition to fourth overall in the medal standings, behind hosts Thailand, who dominated the Games with 233 gold, 154 silver and 112 bronze medals.

It was, therefore, little surprise to see smiles all around as Chef de Mission Nurul Huda Abdullah addressed the media during the post-Games performance review on Saturday, having successfully led a contingent of 1,138 athletes to a campaign that rewrote several chapters of Malaysian sporting history.

National Sports Council director-general Jefri Ngadirin echoed that optimism, describing the momentum as a positive sign and even hinting that Malaysia could be genuine contenders for the overall title at the next SEA Games.

Over the 11 days of competition since the Games officially opened at the Rajamangala National Stadium on Dec 9, Malaysian athletes produced numerous performances that offered encouragement for the future.

Of the 646 debutants fielded, 255, or 39 per cent, returned home with medals, while 178 of the 412 athletes aged under 21 also stood on the medal rostrum, accounting for 43 per cent of the contingent’s youth set-up. 

Those numbers fuel fresh optimism that Malaysia’s talent pipeline remains healthy and that with sharper planning and bolder strategies, a major breakthrough at the 2027 SEA Games is well within reach.

The Thailand Games also witnessed six SEA Games records broken by Malaysian athletes — three each in athletics and shooting — along with 13 national records, spanning athletics (six), swimming (five) and track cycling (two).

Athletics emerged as Malaysia’s most successful sport in terms of gold medals, matching their five-gold haul from Cambodia but outpacing all other disciplines this time.

Leading the charge were discus thrower Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin, who defended his title for a remarkable seventh consecutive time, and hammer thrower Grace Wong Xiu Mei, whose dominant display saw her win gold while smashing the Games record four times en route to a new mark of 65.41 metres (m).

Young sprinter Danish Iftikhar Muhammad Roslee also made his presence felt, claiming bronze in both the men’s 100m and 200m, breaking the national record with a time of 20.72 seconds and playing a key role in the men’s 4x100m relay team that set a new national mark of 39.03 seconds.

Elsewhere, squash once again proved untouchable, sweeping all four gold medals on offer, while track cycling turned heads with a four-gold haul.

The dominance of the Speedy Tigers and Malaysian Tigress continued unabated as both teams retained their grip on field hockey supremacy, while sepak takraw delivered one of the defining moments of the Games by ending a 34-year gold drought with a dramatic regu team victory over hosts Thailand.

Shooting also impressed, contributing three gold medals and three SEA Games records, highlighted by Gan Chen Jie’s triumph in the women’s 50m rifle three positions with 451.7 points, surpassing the previous record set by Vietnam’s Phi Thanh Tal in 2021.

Another shooter, Haritz Iklil Hessly Hafiz, claimed gold in the men’s 50m rifle three positions with 447.5 points, rewriting the Games record previously held by Thailand’s Napis Tortungpanich.

Among combat sports, muaythai stood out with three gold medals — their best showing outside Kuala Lumpur — while judoka Amir Daniel Abdul Majeed finally ended Malaysia’s 44-year wait for a judo gold with his victory in the men’s under-81kg category.

Wushu also delivered, collecting three gold, one silver and five bronze medals, with Tan Cheong Min stealing the spotlight by winning two gold medals to earn recognition as Malaysia’s best female athlete of the Games.

Swimming showed signs of resurgence, returning with two gold, three silver and five bronze medals — the first time Malaysia has won more than one swimming gold since the 2019 edition.

That revival was led by Khiew Hoe Yean, whose dominant wins in the men’s 200m and 400m freestyle earned him the honour of Malaysia’s best male athlete at the 2025 SEA Games.

Although the national men’s Under-23 football team had to settle for bronze after edging the Philippines 2-1, their campaign drew praise given the obstacles they faced, including unavailable players, suspensions, injuries and a thin squad.

Badminton, however, endured a disappointing campaign. Despite fielding star names such as 2022 men’s doubles world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and 2025 mixed doubles world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, Malaysia managed to secure just one of the four targeted gold medals.

Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah salvaged some pride by delivering Malaysia’s sole badminton gold, and despite the frustration, the badminton camp still exceeded its overall medal target by collecting nine medals in total.

Diving narrowly avoided disaster, with late gold medal breakthroughs by young pairs Yong Rui Jie-Nurqayyum Nazmi Mohamad Nazim in the men’s 3m synchronised springboard and Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj-Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi in the women’s synchronised platform, helping Malaysia maintain their status as regional leaders.

The lack of returns from several Olympians — including archers Syaqiera Mashayikh, Ariana Nur Diana Mohamad Zairi as well as sailors Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy and Nur Shazrin Mohamad Latif — raised questions after none managed to convert experience into gold.

Meanwhile, other combat sports such as taekwondo and karate underperformed, missing their targets with returns of just one and two gold medals, respectively.

With less than two years to go before Malaysia hosts the 2027 SEA Games across Sarawak, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur from Sept 18 to 29, bolder planning and sharper execution will be required from the National Sports Council, Olympic Council of Malaysia and national sports associations to ensure a stronger, more commanding showing on home soil.

‘Kap khun krap’ (thank you), Thailand. See you in Malaysia in 2027.

-- BERNAMA