THE heat took its toll on several athletes at the SUKMA 2026 athletics competition today, with more than six treated for dehydration and heat-related symptoms at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Stadium.
According to Media Selangor, the incidents happened during the men’s and women’s 3,000m steeplechase events at about 4 pm, when temperatures were reported to be above 33°C.
Medical personnel were seen attending to several athletes who struggled after completing their races.
Selangor runner Siti Nur Fatihah Mohamad Adham was among those affected.
She collapsed with about 30 metres left in her race after failing to clear the final hurdle.
The incident prompted concern among team officials and spectators, with some questioning the decision to hold the endurance events in the afternoon heat.
Several contingent representatives told Media Selangor they had raised concerns about the timing of the races before the events.
One representative said they had asked for the races to be held at a cooler time, but the schedule remained unchanged.
“We had already raised our concerns about the race timing, but the organisers decided to stick with it.
“It is unfortunate because these athletes have trained so hard, and this could have been avoided if our concerns had been taken into consideration,” the representative said.
Medical teams at the stadium responded quickly, while ambulances were kept ready to take athletes to Hospital Sultan Idris Shah in Serdang if further treatment was needed.
The incidents are expected to renew scrutiny over the scheduling of endurance events, particularly when athletes are required to compete in hot afternoon conditions. – August 17, 2026
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