SELANGOR: Sarawak’s Irene Tiang Ming Jie has exceeded expectations to claim silver in the Women’s 58kg category at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) Selangor 2026, beating the team’s initial target of bronze.
The 17 year old produced a combined lift of 130kg, registering 57kg in the snatch and 73kg in the clean and jerk to finish runner-up at Dewan Seri Cempaka MPKJ, here today (Aug 17).
It was a performance that drew praise from head coach Johnathan Patrick, who said Irene executed what she had worked on in training with confidence and precision.
“Her performance was exceptional. She did everything right, from her lifts to her form.
“She applied everything she learned during training, so I am very happy with her performance,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Johnathan said the silver was a welcome step up from the team’s original medal target, with Irene giving Sarawak more than they had initially expected.
“We initially targeted bronze, but Irene gave a better result and got silver for the team,” he said.
He was also pleased with Irene’s ability to carry her training onto the competition platform, particularly the way she handled her lifts and maintained her technique throughout the event.
For the young Sarawak lifter, the silver adds another bright moment to the state’s weightlifting campaign.
