Mighty Jonah powers to second gold

KUCHING: Sarawak’s Jonah Chang Rigan continued his golden streak by winning his second gold medal, this time in the discus event, at the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI).

Competing at the Sarawak Stadium amid continuous rain, his best throw came on his second attempt, reaching a distance of 46.16m.

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Despite the challenging weather, he chose to play it safe with his last two throws, both measuring 42.78m – sufficient to secure the gold.

The Sarikei-born athlete expressed satisfaction with his victory, stressing the significance of winning gold for the people of Sarawak who have supported him throughout his journey.

“I’m just doing my best, and under the rainy conditions, I’m happy to have achieved my target of two gold medals,” Jonah remarked.

Jonah also addressed concerns about a previous bicep injury, noting that it had improved thanks to rehabilitation efforts by the sports science unit.

Looking ahead, he acknowledged the upcoming hammer throw event as a tough challenge, particularly given the strength of his closest rival from Perlis “as we have competed against each other previously.”

After Sukma, Jonah plans to take a brief rest but will continue his training as his ultimate dream is to qualify for the Olympics in Los Angeles, USA.

Having already competed in the World Youth Athletics Championships in Argentina a year ago, the Sarawak and national star is determined to pursue his Olympic aspirations.