BANGKOK: In a historic performance at the SEA Games, Ng Jing Xuan threw 52.17 metres to win silver in the women’s javelin, becoming Malaysia’s first female athlete to surpass 50 metres.
The 21-year-old from Pujut, Miri, Sarawak, started her athletics journey at the age of 13 while attending SMK Chung Hua Miri.
Her breakthrough throw was a milestone not only for her but also for Malaysian athletics, marking the first official time a Malaysian woman has crossed the 50-metre barrier in the javelin throw.
Jing Xuan’s gold medal-winning rival, Thailand’s Wichaidit Jariya, took the top spot with a best throw of 55.64 metres, while the Philippines’ Espenilla Ana Bhianca secured bronze with 51.66 metres.
Speaking after the event at the Suphachalasai National Stadium today (Dec 13), Jing Xuan expressed her gratitude for achieving a long-held dream.
“I’m so grateful to finally announce that I am the first Malaysian woman to officially throw over 50 metres. This is a historic moment for me and for Malaysia,” she said.
Jing Xuan was surrounded by her supportive family, who traveled all the way from Miri to cheer her on.
She revealed that after years of dedicated training, she plans to take a short break during the off-season to rest and recharge.
“I plan to enjoy my time in Bangkok and put training aside for about a month, as approved by my coach, Mohamad Ali Hamid,” she added.
Coach Mohamad Ali Hamid congratulated Ng on the landmark achievement.
“We’ve been aiming for the 50-metre mark for some time now, and I’ve believed in her ability to surpass it since last year. This silver medal is just the beginning,” he said.
Jing Xuan and her coach have set their sights on even bigger goals. They hope to reach around 55 metres in upcoming competitions, which could qualify her for the Commonwealth and Asian Games—key targets in her athletic career.
Coach Ali also shared that training recently focused on refining Jing Xuan’s technique, a challenging process that showed promise just before the SEA Games.
“In her last training session before flying here, she threw around 48 to 49 metres, which gave her confidence heading into the competition,” said Coach Ali.
The Sarawakian’s 52.17-metre throw in the women’s final broke the previous national record of 49.34 metres set by Siti Nur Nadiah Othman at the 2014 Thailand Open.
