KUALA LUMPUR – National weightlifter Mohd Aniq Kasdan is not ready to give up on his dream of defending the gold medal he won at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, even as injury and time threaten to derail his hopes of qualifying for the next edition in Glasgow.
The 21-year-old, who is still recovering from a ligament injury, is aiming to end on a high note at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in India and secure a direct qualification spot for Glasgow.
“For now, my main target is to do well in the Commonwealth qualifiers in India and book my place at the Games.
“Preparations are going well, and I’m currently about 70% recovered from my ligament injury. I’m undergoing physiotherapy to be fully fit and ready for the tournament. I want to win the gold medal and qualify automatically for the Commonwealth Games.
“As far as I know, during the last Commonwealth Games, we didn’t need to qualify – we competed based on the quota given to participating countries.
“But I think the system has changed now, more like the Olympics. Regardless, I will put in the effort to ensure that I qualify,” said Aniq when met at Menara KBS in Putrajaya today.
Aniq previously competed in the under-55kg category and won silver (clean and jerk) at the 2021 World Championships, followed by a gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the same division.
He moved up to the under-61kg category in 2023, where he clinched a bronze (clean and jerk) at that year’s World Championships and two silvers (clean and jerk and overall) at last year’s edition.
Aniq also competed in the under-61kg category at the Paris Olympics last year, where he impressed by finishing fourth.
The Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in India (Aug 24–30) will mark Aniq’s first competition in the under-60kg class. The event also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Meanwhile, Aniq expressed his gratitude to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh for his inclusion in the Road To Gold (RTG) programme.
“My goal is to reach the top four in the world by the end of this year.
“The support provided through the RTG programme has been extremely beneficial for me, and I want to make full use of it.
“Although I only had a short-term preparation heading into the Paris Olympics, I managed to perform well. Over the next four years, I believe I can achieve even more in Los Angeles,” Aniq added.
RTG is designed to provide Malaysia’s top athletes with additional support to challenge for gold at the Olympics and other major international competitions.
In addition to sports science support, competition exposure, and coaching, athletes under the RTG programme also receive a monthly allowance of RM3,000. – June 10, 2025