KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Kenneth Kaden Chin, who made history at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships, felt he could have done better.
The Kuala Lumpur powerlifter became the country's first Commonwealth champion in the men's under-59kg Open category in Sun City, South Africa, last week.
He bagged three gold and one silver en route to setting a new meet record with a total lift of 545kg.
Kenneth registered 195kg in the bench with 115kg and deadlift 235kg which totaled 545kg to break the meet record of 542.5kg set by New Zealander Ali Abbas in 2022. He also won the silver in the squat with 195kg,
Kenneth said he was happy to make Malaysia proud but was a bit disappointed in not improving on his personal best.
He had lifted 205kg in squat, 120kg in bench, 240.5kg in the deadlift in his training sessions.
"I'm happy to have won three golds and one silver to become the overall champion in my category but I felt I could have done better based on my personal best records.
"I was only the second favourite to win and the journey to South Africa was gruelling due to the long haul flight. It was taxing on my body and on the competition day I felt that I didn't have the energy.
"I had pain in my upper back, so my movement during the lifts was unbalanced. It was not fluid and smooth but in the end I managed to win the medals and set a new record although my target is to set a higher record."
Kenneth who picked up the sport in 2018, had previously settled for silver medals in the biennial Commonwealth Championships. He will compete in the Asian African Pacific Championships in Japan next year.
He trains under Singaporean coach Clinton Lee online for five days weekly and also with the national powerlifters during weekends.
"I'm 34-year-old and I believe I have a long way to go and I will keep pushing myself.
"There will be pressure after being the Commonwealth champion but I manage it by not thinking too much about it."