KUCHING: It was a solid opening statement from Ng Jing Xuan as she secured silver at the 86th Singapore Open Track & Field Championships to kick off her 2026 campaign.
The Malaysian javelin thrower recorded a best effort of 47.49 metres to finish second in a competitive field.
Indonesia’s Atinna Nurkamil Bahtiar claimed gold with a winning throw of 49.86m, while bronze went to her compatriot Kresensia Mobok Ndiken, who managed 41.15m.
For Miri-born Jing Xuan, the result marked a positive start to the new season, improving on her previous year’s opening performance.
“For me, it’s definitely a solid performance because I did better than my season opener last year,” she told Sarawak Tribune when contacted.
The national athlete maintained a composed and focused approach throughout the competition, treating each attempt with equal importance.
“I take every single throw seriously. But today, I was able to perform better after my third attempt, during the final three throws,” she added.
Her late surge proved decisive, as she found her rhythm in the closing stages to secure a podium finish against strong regional rivals.
The performance provides a solid benchmark for Jing Xuan as she builds momentum for the rest of the 2026 season, with further improvements expected in upcoming competitions.
At the 2025 SEA Games, Jing Xuan previously threw 52.17 metres to win silver in the women’s javelin, becoming Malaysia’s first female athlete to surpass the 50-metre mark.
The 21-year-old from Pujut, Miri, began her athletics journey at the age of 13 while studying at SMK Chung Hua Miri.
Her breakthrough effort marked a significant milestone not only in her career but also in Malaysian athletics, as it was the first official instance of a Malaysian woman crossing the 50-metre barrier in the javelin throw.
