KUALA LUMPUR — National karate athlete Shahmalarani Chandran has highlighted the financial realities faced by athletes in non-Olympic sports in Malaysia, stressing that her career has been guided by passion, purpose and the life values gained through karate rather than monetary gain.
Speaking in Scoop’s Sport Check episode, Shahmalarani said athletes outside Olympic disciplines often operate in a very different financial ecosystem, where sponsorship and funding opportunities are more limited compared to mainstream Olympic sports.
However, she emphasised that financial limitations have never defined her commitment to karate.
“I’m not chasing money,” she said, adding that her focus has always been on self-improvement, consistency and representing Malaysia at the highest level.
She noted that public perception of athletes is often shaped by medals and visible success, while the realities of elite sport are far more demanding and less visible.
“People only see the medals,” she said, explaining that the sacrifices behind competition include early training sessions, injuries, and inconsistent performance phases.
For her, karate has provided more than competitive success, shaping discipline, emotional control and personal identity.
“The sport has given me life values, not just medals,” she said.
She also described the extensive demands of elite preparation, which include technical training, recovery work, psychological conditioning and physical maintenance.
Shahmalarani added that elite sport is rarely a linear journey, requiring athletes to persist through setbacks and periods of low performance.
She said her approach to training remains consistent regardless of results.
“I’ve been very true to my sport,” she said, noting that she continues to give full effort in training, recovery and preparation even during difficult phases.
Balancing competitive karate with coaching and teaching roles, she acknowledged the challenges of managing time and personal sacrifices.
“I don’t have family time, I don’t have friends’ time,” she said, describing how peak training and competition seasons dominate her schedule.
Despite these sacrifices, she said she does not view her journey negatively, but as a rare opportunity to fully commit to elite sport.
While acknowledging the financial constraints of non-Olympic sports, she maintained that karate has given her long-term value beyond income — shaping her mindset, behaviour and resilience.
“The sport has changed my entire lifestyle,” she said.
She added that success, for her, is measured not only in medals, but in personal growth and self-reliance.
“I’m thinking about how I can stand on my own feet and build my own life,” she said.
Shahmalarani is one of Malaysia’s most accomplished karatekas, having represented the country at elite level for over a decade. She is a multiple SEA Games gold medallist and a World Karate Championships silver medallist. – June 4, 2026