KUALA LUMPUR — Shahmalarani Chandran has no intention of going to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games simply to make up the numbers, with the Malaysian karate exponent setting her sights firmly on the podium by beating the best in Asia.
The multiple Sea Games gold medallist believes she has what it takes to challenge the continent’s elite despite facing a formidable field that includes four world champions in her category.
Shahmalarani, who successfully defended her gold medal at the 2026 Southeast Asian Karate Federation (SEAKF) Championships, has now shifted her focus to the Asian Games, where she expects the level of competition to be significantly higher.
Rather than hoping for a favourable draw, the 27-year-old wants to face the strongest opponents on her route to the podium.
“To be on the podium and stand proudly as one of the best, one of the winners there, I have to beat the best athletes.
“I am ready for that. I cannot say that I want a good draw. I am aiming for a draw where I get to beat the best in my category,” she told Scoop when contacted.
Shahmalarani said the strength of Asian karate was evident at last year’s World Karate Championships, where all four semi-finalists in her category were athletes from the continent.
She believes that makes the Asian Games almost comparable to a world championship in terms of the level of competition.
“It will be very challenging, especially in my category, because at last year’s World Championships, all the semi-finalists were Asian athletes.
“Even winning in Asia is like winning a world title. It is not easy. It is not as if I am only competing against European athletes. More importantly, there are four world champions in my category,” she said.
The Aichi-Nagoya Games will be Shahmalarani’s second Asian Games appearance after competing at Hangzhou 2022, an experience she believes has prepared her better for the pressure of a major multi-sport event.
At her Asian Games debut, Shahmalarani arrived as the reigning Sea Games champion after winning gold at the 2023 edition just months earlier, raising expectations that she could deliver another major title.
This time, she feels more mature and better equipped to deal with the demands of the occasion.
“As a first-time participant, I did not know how to handle it. So I believe I am mature enough to handle it better now, at least better than before.
“I cannot say that I will know what I am going to do until I am on the tatami and competing. But I hope I can handle it better,” she said.
However, Shahmalarani acknowledged that the pressure will remain, particularly with the responsibility of carrying Malaysia’s hopes alongside her own ambitions.
Having represented Malaysia at elite level for more than a decade, Shahmalarani has established herself as one of the country’s leading karatekas, with multiple Sea Games gold medals and a World Karate Championships silver medal to her name.
Now, she wants to turn that experience into an Asian Games podium finish but knows she will have to go through some of the best athletes in the world to get there. – August 13, 2026