Aniq bags weightlifting bronze, sets new national record
HANOI: Weightlifter Mohamad Aniq Kasdan produced an energetic lift to deliver a bronze medal with a new national record in the men’s 55kg category at the 31st SEA Games yesterday.
The 20-year-old from Segamat, Johor, successfully lifted a total of 252kg for the third place at the Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Centre here, after finishing fifth during his SEA Games debut at the previous edition in Manila in 2019.
The new feat erased his previous national record of 249kg, when he created history to become the first Malaysian to win a World Weightlifting Championships medal, having clinched the silver in the clean and jerk by lifting 142kg, and and finished fifth overall.
He started the challenge in the snatch by successfully lifting 105kg and 110kg, but couldn’t carry 115kg in the third and final attempt. In the clean and jerk, Mohamad Aniq cleared 139kg and 142kg, but again failed in the third attempt to lift 147kg.
Mohamad Aniq’s personal best in snatch is 120kg, while in the clean and jerk is 150kg.
“At the last edition I did not get a medal, this time I could improve my performance to win a medal for Malaysia. I hope after this I can improve my performance further to do well at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games (in July) and the Cambodia SEA Games next year.
This win gives me added confidence to compete in outside tournaments and make better lifts,” he told reporters after the prize-giving ceremony.
He added that after the 2019 SEA Games, he didn’t compete much because of Covid-19 and was the only participant in the 55kg category at the National Championships in Pahang in October and then participated in the World Championship.
Meanwhile, the hosts’ Lai Gia Thanh defended his gold medal with a new Games record for clean and jerk with a 148kg lift and total of 268kg (120kg in snatch), while Thailand’s Thada Somboon-uan took silver with 256kg in total.
When the 55kg was first contested in the Philippines SEA Games, a kilogramme lower than the previous 56kg category, Lai lifted 122kg in snatch, 142kg in clean and jerk for an overall 264kg.