KUALA LUMPUR: Women's shot putter Nani Sahidah Maryata is going places after winning a bronze medal at the recent Phnom Penh Sea Games.
For her efforts, the Pahang athlete got selected for the Taiwan Open in New Taipei City from May 26-28. Nani threw 14.44m in her Sea Games debut.
National coach Malik Tobias said Nani's performance in Phnom Penh has earned her a trip to the Taiwan Open.
"Despite being unwell, she did well to win a bronze. It's a good start for her career as she is still young.
"My mission is to help her improve her national record of 15.22m set at the Perak Open last month.
"I want her to hit the 16-metre mark in two years' time for the 2025 Bangkok Sea Games," said former national decathlete Malik.
Nani has broken the national record three times in the past five months.
She first broke the national record with a throw of 14.48m in the Institution of Higher Learning grand final in Bukit Jalil last December. And she rewrote it with 15.22m in the Perak Open. And in the Philippines Open in March, she bettered the mark with 14.69m to win gold.