Malaysia's highs and lows at the Asiad

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian contingent easily surpassed the six-gold target set by the National Sports Council at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games which ended on Sunday.

Their haul of nine golds, seven silvers and 16 bronzes for a total of 32 medals equalled the country's best-ever Asian Games performance at Guangzhou 2010.

Malaysia impressively finished 11th overall among 45 countries and regions at the 20th Asian Games in Achi-Nagoya.

Timesport takes a look at Malaysia's top athletes and the region's standout stars

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BEST ATHLETES
S. SIVASANGARI AND NG EAIN YOW (SQUASH)

Sivasangari and Eain Yow achieved what no other Malaysian squash players had done, successfully defending their Asiad singles crowns, and leading their sides to team golds. The duo also became Malaysia's first Olympic qualifiers with squash making its debut at Los Angeles 2028.

World No. 5 Sivasangari beat India's Anahat Singh for the singles title before anchoring the women's team alongside Aifa and Aira Azman to a dramatic 2-1 final win over Hong Kong.

World No. 18 Eain Yow, who won the individual gold after defeating India's Abhay Singh, subdued Pakistan's Noor Zaman in the team final to deliver Malaysia's record-equalling ninth gold overall.

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BEST TEAM
MEN'S SEPAK TAKRAW SQUAD

They ended a 36-year gold medal drought dating back to Beijing 1990 by toppling arch-rivals Thailand 2-0 in the team regu final.

Anchored by 34-year-old veteran Afifudin Razali in his final Asiad alongside Syahir Rosdi and Farhan Adam, the squad also won a silver in the inter-regu event to cap a historic campaign and restore Malaysia's continental supremacy.

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OUTSTANDING TEAMS
NATIONAL MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM

It was redemption for the Speedy Tigers who recovered from a dismal sixth-place finish in 2022 Hangzhou to capturing a silver medal in Aichi.

Playing in an emotional campaign dedicated to their former coach Sarjit Singh, who died months earlier, the Malaysia team overcame South Korea in the semi-finals before falling to defending champions India in the gold medal match.

OUTSTANDING ATHLETES

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AZIZULHASNI AWANG (TRACK CYCLING)

At 38, the Pocket Rocketman capped his fifth and final Asian Games by winning the keirin gold after beating

China's Li Zhiwei apart from collecting an individual sprint bronze.

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TAJ IZRIN AIMAN TAJ MADIRA (ESPORTS — GRAN TOURISMO 7)

The gamer earned the distinction of becoming Malaysia's first ever Asian Games eSports gold medal winner.

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ADEOLA FAY ROBERT AND C. SHAHMALARANI (KARATE)

Debutante Adeola delivered Malaysia's first gold of the Aichi-Nagoya

Games, in the women's under-55kg, while Shahmalarani added a second gold in the women's under-50kg class.

Karate bronzes were also won by K. Thevendran (under-55kg), H. Sureeya Sankar (under-60kg) and the men's kata team.

AIDAN KHAIRUDDIN YUNUS AND CHRISTIAN DIDIER CHIN (PADEL)

The duo created history by capturing the men's doubles silver medal in padel, which was making its Asian Games debut. They had a dream run to the final before going down to Qatar's top seeded Naif brothers, Mashari and Rashed.

ELVIS PRIESTLY CLEMENT AND ENRIQUE MACCARTNEY HAROLD (DIVING)

The young Sarawakian pair claimed silver in the men's 10m platform synchro.

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TAN CHEONG MIN (WUSHU)

The Malaysian contingent flagbearer earned a bronze in the nanquan and nandao, thus becoming a two-time Asiad medallist.

KHAIRULNIZAM MOHD AFFENDY (SAILING)

The four-time Olympian collected his third Asiad medal with a bronze in the men's ILCA 7 dinghy.

OUTSTANDING ASEAN ATHLETES

CARLOS YULO — THE PHILIPPINES (ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS)

The double Olympic champion dominated the apparatus finals, winning gold on the floor exercise and men's vault.

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PURIPOL BOONSON — THAILAND (ATHLETICS)

The speedster smashed the Asian Games 100m record with a 9.90s run before clinching the men's 200m gold in 19.88s.

SHANTI PEREIRA — SINGAPORE (ATHLETICS)

Singapore's track star retained her continental sprint crown by winning the women's 200m gold in 22.78s.

NATIONAL RECORDS BROKEN

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NURUL ALIANA SYAFIKA AZIZAN, NURUL IZZAH IZZATI ASRI AND NUR ALYSSA FARID (TRACK CYCLING — WOMEN'S TEAM SPRINT)

The women's riders broke their national record in the Asiad first round, clocking 48.023s to improve on their previous mark of 48.086s set at last year's Asian Championships.

KHIEW HOE YEAN, ARVIN SHAUN SINGH CHAHAL, LIM YIN CHUEN AND TAN KHAI ZIN (SWIMMING — MEN'S 4X200M FREESTYLE)

The quartet smashed the national record, clocking 7:18.79s to finish fifth, eclipsing the previous mark of 7:19.50s set at the 2025 SEA Games.

FATIN NURFATEHAH MAT SALLEH, AINA SYAZWANA MUHAIMIN AND IMAN AISYAH NORAZAM (ARCHERY — WOMEN'S TEAM COMPOUND)

Aina and Fatin, together with Iman, bettered their previous record of 2,075 (set at the Asia Cup in March) by shooting a total of 2,076.

SYAHMI NOR GHAZALI (WEIGHTLIFTING — MEN'S 95kg)

In his Asiad debut, Syahmi recorded a new national record. He cleared 153kg in the snatch and 200kg in the clean and jerk for a 353kg total in the new under 95kg weight class. He previously competed in the under 94kg category at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July, where he set a meet record of 374kg.

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SPECIAL MENTIONS

PEARLY TAN-M. THINAAH (BADMINTON)

The world No. 5 pair provided the badminton camp's sole medal with bronze in the women's doubles.

YOUTH SYNCHRO DIVERS

Yong Rui Jie-Nurqayyum Nazmi (men's 3m) and Lee Yiat Qing-Ong Ker Ying (women's 3m) bagged synchro bronzes, giving hope that the future of Malaysian diving is in safe hands.

SHARUL AIMY (ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS)

He defied a torn meniscus and shoulder pain to finish eighth in the vault final in what was likely his Asiad farewell.

BEST QUOTES

"When you are 2-1 down in games with the record on the line, you don't think about fatigue. You fight for every point for Malaysia."

— Ng Eain Yow (squash)

"By winning this, I have a ticket to the Olympics. It is a dream come true, but now I want to work harder for Olympic gold."

— S. Sivasangari (squash)

"At 38, to stand on top of an Asian Games podium again with the Jalur Gemilang flying... there is no better way to say goodbye."

— Azizulhasni Awang (track Cycling)

"This is the greatest birthday gift I could have asked for after waiting 36 years for this gold."

— Afifudin Razali (sepak takraw)

"Sim racing takes immense concentration. To deliver Malaysia's first eSports gold is unreal."

— Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira (eSports)

"Giving away cheap penalty corners at crucial moments really hurt us against India. But the boys fought with everything they had throughout this tournament, and we dedicated this journey to coach Sarjit."

— Brendon Carolan (Speedy Tigers head coach)

"Matching our record of nine golds from Guangzhou 2010 proves our athletes can deliver under pressure. But as we look towards LA28, we must address the disciplines where we fell short."

— Datuk Wira Sumali Reduan (Chef de Mission)

"Initially I didn't plan to come due to my meniscus injury, but I wanted to fight. This might be my last Asian Games."

— Sharul Aimy (gymnastics)

UNDERPERFORMERS

SAILING — WOMEN'S ILCA 6

After striking gold in 2022 Hangzhou, Malaysia's campaign in the ILCA 6 class unravelled in tricky waters at Gamagori Kaiyo Harbor. Defending champion Nur Shazrin Latif settled for seventh overall.

BADMINTON MEN'S TEAM

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BAM's gamble in scratch pairing backfired, resulting in a 3-2 quarter-final exit against Indonesia.

NATIONAL SHOOTING SQUAD

Not a single shooter was able to advance into an eight-man final.

ATHLETICS

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Discus thrower Irfan Shamsuddin apologised to Malaysians after failing to deliver a medal. He admitted his disappointment at being unable to produce the targeted throw after failing to finish in the top eight.