Shooter Zen Hong wins nine gold medals at Malaysia Games, breaks record

Pahang shooter Cheah Zen Hong has concluded his final appearance at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) with an exceptional performance, clinching nine gold medals in a single edition. This achievement shatters his previous record of seven gold medals set at SUKMA Sarawak in 2024.

Zen Hong finalized his historic gold medal collection with two victories on the final day of the shooting competition. He triumphed in the men's 25m pistol individual event, scoring 575 points to defeat Banin Al Ghazali Ahmad Badrul Hisyam of Terengganu. He also contributed to Pahang's team gold medal win alongside Muhammad Zainal ‘Azim Ahmad Mahmud and Abdul Razak Ahmad Danial Hakim, with the team accumulating 1,671 points.

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Nine gold medals is not easy. I am very happy because I was able to break my own record of seven gold medals from the previous SUKMA edition. So for me, the junior part of my career is over.

"Nine gold medals is not easy. I am very happy because I was able to break my own record of seven gold medals from the previous SUKMA edition. So for me, the junior part of my career is over," Zen Hong stated. He admitted to contemplating the possibility of breaking the record but chose to focus on performing his best without added pressure.

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Honestly, I was thinking, can I break the record? But I told myself, as usual, don't think too much, just finish and do your best. I hope this is a perfect ending for me.

"Honestly, I was thinking, can I break the record? But I told myself, as usual, don't think too much, just finish and do your best. I hope this is a perfect ending for me," he added. The Pahang athlete described his three SUKMA editions as a meaningful experience, having achieved his goals in each participation. He now intends to shift his focus to greater challenges on the international stage.

"For me, from SUKMA 2022 to 2026, I am very grateful because in all three editions I was able to achieve what I wanted. This is a very good journey, and I hope that after this I can create extraordinary achievements like this abroad," he said.

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For me, from SUKMA 2022 to 2026, I am very grateful because in all three editions I was able to achieve what I wanted. This is a very good journey, and I hope that after this I can create extraordinary achievements like this abroad.