KUALA LUMPUR – Sarawakian javelin thrower Ng Jing Xuan is eyeing to be Malaysia’s first female athlete to hit the 50m target after clinching gold at this year’s Malaysia Games (Sukma).
Jing Xuan, aged 18 this year, proved to be on track with her ambition after winning gold at Bukit Jalil National Stadium here today.
“I want to beat the national record and become the country’s first female athlete (javelin throw) to hit 50m.”
The current national record holder is Siti Nur Nadiah Othman when she was 21 years old in the 2014 Thailand Open Championships with a record of 49.34m.
Although she has recovered from a right arm injury suffered in July, she had feared it could affect her performance at Sukma
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I had to stop my training. So, I only resumed my training in April this year, but I was quite concerned if the injury would return.”
She showed off her prowess in her first throw, which gave her the best result of 43.45m.
Jing Xuan competed in her first Sukma in 2018 when she was only 14 years old and came in fifth.
In 2017, she was a school volleyball player at SMK Chung Hua Miri.
However, the school javelin coach discovered that she had a powerful right-hand throw and encouraged her to try the sport.
She then took part in her first javelin competition for Miri under-14 and immediately broke the city record.
“I felt good about my achievement (in Miri U-14), and I continued with the sport because I felt that I have the potential to do better,” Jing Xuan added, who is also the current Sarawak under-18 record holder.
After Sukma, she will be looking to pursue a degree in accounting. – The Vibes, September 17, 2022
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