BETONG, Perak weightlifter Qistina Qharisya Suffia Mohd Muzani has introduced herself to Malaysian sports fans in grand style - breaking three national records at the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) - en route to snatching the gold medal in the women's 45-kilogramme (kg) category. Qistina, 19, turned her second appearance in the biennial Games into a personal show of power by lifting 65kg in snatch, 79kg in clean and jerk for a total lift of 144kg, thus erasing the old marks (snatch 59kg, clean and jerk 77kg and total 136kg) set by Nurul Afiqah Zamzuri at the Philippines SEA Games in 2019. Qistina said the win has whetted her appetite to aim higher in the world of weightlifting. 'Although an athlete has to make a lot of sacrifices, especially being away from friends and family during training, it will not deter me from wanting to go for glory, especially on the international stage,' said Qistina, who intends to defend the gold she won today at the 2026 edition of the Games in Selangor. Sabah's Irene Jane Hen ry (137kg total) and Sarawak's Katierina Anak Bojing (108kg) settled for silver and bronze respectively. In the men's 55kg category, Perlis lifter Muhammad Azri Irfan Azhar defended his gold medal with a total lift of 230kg (100kg snatch; 130kg clean and jerk). Pahang's Mohamad Rahimi Sulaiman lost out on the fight for gold by just 1kg as Federal Territories' Ahmad Darwish Zharfan Ahmad Tharmidzi took bronze with a total lift of 211kg. In the men's 61kg category, Kedah's Muhammad Amin Hakimi Mohd Shukry lifted a total of 234kg for the gold medal, followed by Terengganu's Muhammad Muslim Mohd Anwar (229kg total) for silver and Sabah's Mark Dylan Marcus (216kg) for bronze. The weightlifting competition, which began today at the Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan Sports Hall here, will end on Friday (Aug 23) and offers 16 gold medals. Source: BERNAMA News Agency