KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian swimming has been in a dismal state for years, but there's hope on the horizon following impressive performances at the recent Sarawak Malaysia Games.
The National Sports Council (NSC) is optimistic that these rising stars could become medal contenders at the 2027 Sea Games, if not sooner, with the right guidance and support.
A total of 17 Sukma records, some over a decade old, and two national records were shattered at the Pandelela Aquatics Centre in Petra Jaya last week.
NSC deputy director general Jefri Ngadirin believes that, under the guidance of national coach Eric Anderson and technical director Megan Oesting, these Sukma swimmers could mature into strong international competitors.
"It's a positive sign ahead of the 2027 Sea Games, especially considering the number of records set during Sukma," said Jefri. "With proper guidance from our national coaches, we can chart a path for their development over the next few years. We believe many of these top Sukma swimmers will mature by the 2027 Sea Games and will be in the medal hunt.
"Most of our national swimmers are under 21, which is encouraging compared to Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, whose swimmers are 25 and older.
"I was particularly impressed by Andrew Goh (Selangor) and Dhuha Zulfikry (Federal Territories). They have the potential to excel at next year's Thailand Sea Games, and we hope they can also qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics."
Breaststroker Andrew, 20, broke two national records and one meet record, while freestyle specialist Dhuha, 16, set four meet records.
In addition to Andrew and Dhuha, Chong Xin Lin, Bryan Leong (both from FT), and Kelly Teo (Sarawak) also delivered standout performances in Sarawak.
Oesting and Anderson were brought in by Malaysia Aquatics and NSC earlier this year to revive Malaysian swimming, which has been in decline for over a decade.
The duo have already made a positive impact, both in terms of results and team morale.
Malaysia managed to win only one gold medal at the 2023 Phnom Penh Sea Games, a stark contrast to the nine titles won during the 2009 Vientiane edition.