KUCHING It’s incredible to think that a Sarawakian could one day represent Malaysia at the Winter Olympics.
This dream may soon become a reality with Jonathan Yaw of Miri, who is on track to become the first-ever Southeast Asian to qualify for the skeleton event at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics .
In 2023, Jonathan made history by becoming the first Southeast Asian athlete to qualify for the Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships, the premier event for sliding sports outside of the Olympic Games.
“It was the first time Malaysia’s Jalur Gemilang flew at the biggest event for sliding sports outside the Olympics,” he told the Sarawak Tribune when contacted recently.
Jonathan, who hails from a sports-loving family, first took up the sport in 2020 – and hasn’t looked back since.
“With the support of the 2018 Pyeongchang Legacy Foundation and their New Horizon’s programme, the Malaysian Association of Bobsleigh and Skeleton was established, and I was recruited as Malaysia’s first skeleton athlete,” the Mirian explained, as he wholeheartedly agreed to take up the challenge back then.
Having completed his Master’s in Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney, Jonathan strives to be a positive role model within his community and to inspire the next generation of youth, regardless of the path they choose to pursue.
At age 29, he recently competed at the World Championships in Lake Placid, where he finished 29th overall.
With his talent and determination, Jonathan is poised to make waves in the world of winter sports.
