SEPANG, Aug 2 — The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (PABM) has described its haul of five gold medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as a “clear signal” for the country’s sports authorities to consider allocating at least RM1 million annually to further develop the sport.

PABM president Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the allocation would be a fitting recognition of the national weightlifting squad’s achievements and a morale booster, as the sport has now proven to be one of Malaysia’s new gold medal prospects after its outstanding performance on the international stage.

“We are among the federations with the smallest budgets because we rely heavily on our own funds,” he told reporters upon the team’s arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here last night.

He said the athletes continue to face financial constraints, particularly in meeting their daily nutritional needs at the training centre, where the allocation is inadequate for a physically demanding sport such as weightlifting.

Nevertheless, Ayub expressed confidence that the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) would provide the necessary support to the federation, based on the commitment they have shown previously.

On the team’s strategy in Glasgow, Ayub said the priority was to secure gold medals rather than chase national records, ensuring every tactical decision maximised Malaysia’s chances of success.

“If we adopt the wrong strategy and aim for heavier lifts to break records, we worry the athletes may not be able to complete the lift,” he said.

He described the current squad as a “crazy team” for proving its extraordinary ability by achieving the target of five gold medals, which many had previously regarded as an ambitious goal.

Throughout the weightlifting competition at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, held from July 26, the national squad collected five gold medals, one silver and one bronze to emerge as the overall weightlifting champions in Glasgow.

The five gold medals were won by Mohamad Aniq Kasdan in the men’s 60kg category, Muhamad Aznil Bidin (65kg), Muhammad Erry Hidayat (79kg), Muhammad Hafizuddin Roslin (88kg) and Muhamad Syahmi Nor Ghazali (94kg). — Bernama