KUCHING: Cheah Zen Hong cemented his status as a rising star in Malaysia's shooting scene and a worthy successor to two-time Olympian Johnathan Wong in the pistol discipline at the Malaysia Games here today.
Zen Hong successfully defended his men's 10m pistol title, breaking the Games record in the process.
The 18-year-old shooter set a new Sukma record by amassing 576 points in the qualifying round, surpassing the previous mark of 574 points set by Abdul Hadi Abdul Malik of Pahang in the 2012 edition.
Zen Hong also played a key role in helping Pahang clinch the team event title, bringing his total to four gold medals at this year's Games, following his wins in the men's 25m standard individual and team events yesterday.
For Zen Hong, this success significantly enhances his chances of being selected to compete in senior-level international tournaments, potentially alongside Johnathan.
"I want to prove my ability to improve my chances of competing in international tournaments, including the World Cup, one day.
"Only by competing in international events regularly will I have the opportunity to fight for a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"Seeing senior athletes like Johnathan compete at the Olympics gives me the motivation to follow in his footsteps. So, I'm currently working towards that goal," said Zen Hong, who has participated in three international junior tournaments, including the Junior World Cup in Granada, Spain, in January.
In the 10m air pistol final, Zen Hong bounced back from an inconsistent start to claim gold with 230.5 points, edging out compatriot Riky Yasin Pakriudin, who settled for silver with 230.2 points.
The bronze medal went to Kedah shooter T. Ninesh, who scored 210.3 points.
Zen Hong was in tears after being confirmed as the champion, recalling how he initially thought he might not have the chance to defend his gold.
"I am the defending champion, and my personal mission was to retain the gold in this event.
"At the beginning of the final, I struggled and felt it was almost impossible to catch up.
"However, I gradually regained my momentum and eventually won the gold; this is a significant achievement for me," he said.
In the team competition, Zen Hong, Riky, and Zainal Azim Ahmad Mahmud secured the gold after amassing a combined total of 1,687 points.
The Federal Territories trio of Safwan Arif Abdul Aziz, Hakimi Zulfkifli and Abdul Haiqal Abdul Aziz scored 1,658 points to win the silver, while Sarawak's Justin Joannes, Syah Nurwandi Iqwan and Abang Ikmal Putra Zailan took bronze with 1,657 points.