KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s weightlifting ace Mohamad Aniq Kasdan is slowly but surely regaining his rhythm, even if a podium finish still eludes him on the world stage.
The 23-year-old finished 13th in the men’s 60kg class at the World Championships in Forde, Norway, on Friday with a total of 266kg (115kg snatch, 151kg clean and jerk).
It was a marked improvement from August’s Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad, India, where he lifted 253kg to finish third.
Aniq admitted he is still not at full strength after a shoulder tendon injury disrupted his preparations.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve only just recovered from an injury, so I’m not 100% yet,” he told Scoop.
“The weight I lifted in this competition is the same amount I’ve only just managed to achieve in training. Although it has healed, there’s still a scar and some faint pain, so I can’t push to my maximum yet.”
Despite the limitations, the Johor-born lifter showed progress, adding 13kg to his total compared to India.
“The goal here was really to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and improve on my previous results,” he explained.
“Previously in India, I lifted 111kg and 142kg. Here in Norway, I tried to increase that to 115kg and 151kg. God willing, in the next competition, I’ll give a better performance.”
Aniq knows what it takes to mix it with the best. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, he agonisingly missed out on the podium by just one kilogram, finishing fourth in the previous 61kg class with a 297kg total – a mark that still stands as the national record.
This year’s World Championships again highlighted the depth of the 60kg field, with China’s Wang Hao taking gold with 302kg, followed by Thailand’s Silachai Theerapong (299kg) and North Korea’s Pang Un Chol (295kg).
For Aniq, though, the bigger picture is about building back his strength steadily ahead of Glasgow 2026, where he will aim to defend the Commonwealth Games gold he won in Birmingham 2022.
“My official physio sessions have finished, but I’m still continuing with therapy at the gym. I just want to re-adapt to competing after the injury. Step by step, I’ll get there,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 65kg category, Malaysia’s Muhammad Aznil Bidin settled for fifth with a total lift of 301kg.
Turkiye’s Muhammad Furkan Ozbek (324kg) won the gold, while North Korea’s Pak Myong Jin (315kg) and the United States’ Morris Hampton Miller (311kg) bagged the silver and bronze, respectively. — October 5, 2025