Malaysian athletes debuting at the Paris 2024 Olympics
When it comes to sports, Malaysia has an impressive roster of talented athletes who have made their mark on the international stage. At the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, which takes place from 26th July to 11th August, 18 Malaysian athletes have their eyes on the podium.
While we cheer on familiar faces in fields like track and badminton, 8 athletes are set to make their debut as Olympians at the world’s biggest sporting event too.
Read on to get to know them:
Table of Contents
1. Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri, 20, Track
Dubbed the “The Pocket Rocketwoman”, Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri is a 20-year-old track cycling athlete with an impressive track record. She ended a 12-year drought after clinching gold at the women’s 500m time trial event at the 2024 Asian Track Cycling Championships.
She was also crowned champion in the same event when she made her debut at the 2022 Asian Championships.
Under the mentorship of renowned peer Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, the Kedah-born athlete from Sungai Petani is one to watch, with national track cycling head coach stating that she’s well on her way to becoming “world-class”. She told local press that she was looking to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but had qualified earlier than expected.
She’ll join Azizulhasni and Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom at the upcoming Games.
2. Goh Jin Wei, 24, Badminton
Image credit: @jinweigoh via Instagram
We Malaysians always have our eyes on the Badminton events at the Games. Representing Malaysia in the Women’s singles event at the Summer Games is Goh Jin Wei.
Born in Penang, she made her mark even early in her badminton career, winning the 2015 and 2018 BWF World Junior Championships and the 2018 Youth Olympics in the Girls’ singles event. These titles were followed by a notable gold in Women’s singles event at the 2017 SEA Games.
She comes a long way, having been drafted into the Malaysia national team at just 14 years old. She later underwent a colectomy in 2019 that forced her to pull out from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. During her recovery, she shared with the media that she could only “eat one meal a day” and was on high dosage of medication.
In 2021, she announced her retirement from badminton due to health reasons, but returned to turn professional a year later.
3. Bertrand Rhodict Lises, 19, Diving
Image credit: @rhodict via Instagram
19-year-old Bertrand Rhodict Lises is set to compete in the Men’s 10m platform on his Olympic debut, as our country’s sole representative in Diving at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Before qualifying for the Oylmpics, the diving prodigy told Tatler Asia that he hails from a family of athletes and started taking swimming lessons at the tender age of 4. Though he has admitted to not having a passion for swimming, he decided to take up diving seriously after seeing the success of fellow national diver, Pandelela Rinong.
The Sarawak-born athlete has been part of the National Sports Council of Malaysia since he was 14 years old, and looks forward to the privilege of getting to participate in the Olympics at his young age.
4. Toh Ee Wei, 24, Badminton
Image credit: @toh.eewei via Instagram
Badminton shuttler Toh Ee Wei is currently ranked 9th in the world, according to the BWF world ranking. She shares the ranking with badminton partner Chen Tang Jie. The duo has been partnered for over a year now, and will team up for the Paris 2024 Olympics as well.
In 2022, the Melaka-born shuttler made headlines for her resilience in battling and beating tuberculosis. She was diagnosed with bone tuberculosis at just 21 years old, which required intensive rehabilitation, treatment, and training. Prior to this, she suffered from acute sinus issues that made it hard for her to breathe and eventually required surgery.
In spite of these setbacks, Toh made a stunning career comeback with Chen. The duo were the first Malaysian players to be crowned champions of the Orleans Masters Badminton Championship in 2023.
5. Chen Tang Jie, 26, Badminton
Image credit: @chentangjie via Instagram
26-year-old Chen Tang Jie is poised to make his Olympic Games debut this year, alongside mixed doubles partner Toh. The two are dubbed “gangster duo” among locals for their aggressive playing style.
The Ipoh-born athlete began his athletic journey as part of the Malaysian team at the 2016 Asian Junior Championships and the 2016 BWF World Junior Championships. Alongside Toh, he clinched a silver medal in the World Junior mixed team event, which catapulted the badminton duo into the spotlight.
6. Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir, 26, Road
Image credit: @aisyahzubir__ via Instagram
Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir will make history once the Olympic Games kicks off. She’ll be the first woman cyclist to represent Malaysia in women’s road racing at the prestigious world sporting event.
Malaysia was previously represented by athletes Muhammad Asia Hussainie Othman and Amir Mustafa Rusli at the London 2012 Olympics in the road racing events.
Nur Aisyah, who hails from Terengganu, will be tackling the 158km road race in Paris that includes harrowing hills and climbs.
She’s currently under the guidance of experienced coach and Olympian, Amir Mustafa Rusli. Under her belt are a silver and two bronze medal wins at the Hanoi SEA Games and Cambodia SEA Games respectively.
7. Ariana Nur Dania Mohamad Zairi, 19, Archery
Image credit: @olympicmas via Instagram
At just 19 years old, Ariana Nur Dania Mohamad Zairi is set to represent the country in the Archery event at the upcoming Summer Olympics. When she’s not out on the field, she’s a Mechanical Engineer student at the German-Malaysia Institute in Selangor.
The rising recurve archer secured her ticket to Paris after clinching gold in the women’s recurve event at the Asian Continental Qualifiers Tournament. She shared in an interview with SpoTV that she hasn’t “participated in many international competitions, and securing a spot in the Olympics is a very big step for me”.
To ensure the best prep for the Games, she is currently training in South Korea, who clinched gold in several archery events at the previous Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
8. Mohamad Aniq Kasdan, 21, Weightlifting
Image credit: Bernama
Malaysia is making its comeback in weightlifting this year, following national weightlifter Mohd Hafifi Manor’s appearance at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Johor-born Mohamad Aniq Kasdan is set to compete in the men’s 61kg event, having secured his spot at Paris after lifting a total of 290kg at the 2024 IWF World Cup Championships.
Previously, he made history as the first Malaysian to secure the country a medal at the World Weightlifting Championships in 2021.
The 21-year-old is currently ranked 8th in the world, with a combined personal record lift of 296kg.
Malaysian athletes debuting at the Paris 2024 Olympics
With high spirits and relentless determination, these athletes are set to make their Olympic debut once the Games kick off in July.
Here’s wishing them, and all our Malaysian athletes, all the best and a wonderful journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics!
Cover image adapted from: Bernama, New Straits Times, @aisyahzubir__ via Instagram