KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Malaysian figure skater Fang Ze Zeng’s rise to the top of the podium at the 2025 SEA Games was not defined by a single moment of glory.

Instead, it unfolded over years of quiet discipline, setbacks, and an enduring love for the ice that began long before the spotlight found him.

At the age of 21, the young athlete etched his name into Malaysian sporting history by winning gold in Thailand, scoring 157.22 points to finish ahead of Thailand’s Aaron Kulvatunyou and the Philippines’ Paolo Barromeo.

Even now, the weight of that achievement has not fully settled in.

“I’m glad everything went well,” he said in an interview with Malay Mail.

“The result was better than my previous competitions, even though it wasn’t exactly what I expected — but it was enough to get the medal.”

For Fang, the victory was less a breakthrough than a continuation — the latest step in a journey defined by persistence rather than sudden triumph.

A beginning on unfamiliar ice

Encouraged by his mother, Fang stepped onto the ice for the first time during a visit to Sunway Pyramid.

What began as a casual attempt soon felt natural.

“Since the start, when I stepped on the ice, I already knew that I liked the sport,” he said.

Skating was never about medals at that stage, but the experience itself.

Although he played basketball and was part of his school team, figure skating became the sport that stayed with him.

It was not until he turned 15 that training became serious, under professional coaches, eventually leading to international competitions including the ISU Junior Grand Prix in the United States.

Moments of doubt, and choosing to continue

Like many athletes, his path was not without interruption.

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, training came to a halt as restrictions kept him off the ice.

The sudden pause created uncertainty, and with it, moments where continuing no longer felt straightforward.

Yet even then, stepping away was never something he fully considered.

“Once I chose this sport, it was never an option for me to give up halfway,” he said.

He adapted by focusing on off-ice conditioning and refining his technical understanding.

It was a quieter phase of growth, but no less important.

Carrying the weight of representation

Stepping onto a larger stage brought new pressures.

Recalling the 2025 SEA Games, Fang admitted the challenge of representing Malaysia was daunting.

“I was very stressed — more than in other competitions,” he said.

“It’s scary because you’re representing your country against others.

“I felt really nervous and couldn’t even sleep.”

To manage the intensity, he relied on meditation and mental preparation, learning not just physical control but emotional balance.

Looking forward

Today, Fang's connection to figure skating extends beyond competition.

He has taken on coaching, sharing his experience with younger skaters while continuing to pursue his own development.

His focus now lies in refining more complex elements, including the triple axel and the quadruple toe loop — technical milestones that demand both precision and endurance.

“I hope to go on more competitions and qualify for next year's World Championship,” he said.

This is the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.

He added by saying that while figure skaters are often said to peak between the ages of 18 and 25, Fang is determined to continue as long as his passion for the sport endures.

“I’ll keep skating for as long as I love it,” he concluded.