SEPANG, Aug 1 — Having delivered the gold medal at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, national weightlifter Muhammad Erry Hidayat is now planning for a permanent career to secure his future.

The 26-year-old, who will be graduating with a Human Resource Development (HRD) degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in December, said this would ensure he has a stable source of income for the long term.

“Some asked me if I’m going to retire (from the sport), and I said no. Perhaps, that’s because I’ve just completed my studies, so training will still go on. Perhaps, in the next year or two, I will seek a new career that will help me remain an athlete.

“I have to think about generating income until I’m old. If I were to be involved in the sport only, whatever I earn won’t be enough to last me until I’m old. Now that I’m at peak condition, I can still indulge in the sport. But, once I’m in my 30s and have pains and aches, who’s going to pay me a salary?” he told reporters on arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.

Erry, the son of former national lifter Hidayat Hamidon, admitted that the realities of life that his father had to go through after retiring from the sport are the main force driving him to complete his studies, despite it having taken him seven long years.

“My father always advises me not to be afraid (of the future). He reminds me not to be like him and to complete my degree studies so that I have a backup when my weightlifting career comes to an end.

“If it were up to me, I don’t want to study. But after thinking it over, at least I’ll have an option when I quit weightlifting one day,” said Erry, who had just completed industrial training at the National Sports Council (NSC).

The winner of the gold medal in the 79-kilogramme (kg) category also admitted that physical factors had also forced him to be more realistic, as he has begun experiencing pain in several parts of his body, including his lower back.

He said that weightlifters would usually start feeling the physical effects of the sport once they reach 33 or 34, with a higher risk of injury to the joints and backbone.

On his weightlifting plans, Erry said his main focus is next year’s SEA Games, adding that he intends to get back to intensive training once he returns from his one-week holiday break.

On Tuesday (July 28), Erry followed in his father’s footsteps by winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal with a total lift of 331kg in Glasgow, which is a Games record. — Bernama