SELANGOR: “One more lift, Coach.”
Those four words were all Medelina Shereal needed to say before the 18-year-old Bakong lifter returned to the platform and powered through pain to win bronze for Sarawak at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) Selangor 2026 on Tuesday (Aug 18) today.
Competing in the women’s 63kg category at Dewan Seri Cempaka MPKJ, Medelina totalled 148kg despite an injury that had disrupted her preparations in the weeks leading up to the Games.
Coach Jonathan Patrick admitted he was surprised to see her return for her final clean and jerk attempt after failing her second lift.
“It was unexpected. When she failed her second attempt, I said to her in the warm-up room that if her back hurt badly, she could just let the bar go.
“But then, she said, ‘One more lift, Coach. Just one more,'” he told Sarawak Tribune.
That final lift was 85kg and Medelina delivered.
“I screamed at the top of my lungs when I saw her jerk the bar, shouting for her to lift it above her head.
“Although she was injured a month before SUKMA, she did it. She brought home bronze for Sarawak,” said Jonathan.
He revealed that Medelina had only recovered about two weeks before SUKMA, leaving her with limited preparation.
But the coach believes she has grown tremendously since finishing seventh among nine competitors at SUKMA 2024.
“Who she is now is way different from who she was before. Her lifts, her personal best and even her tenacity are different now,” he said.
When told her bronze had added to Sarawak’s medal tally, Medelina’s eyes welled with tears.
“I have to digest for a bit. I did my best,” she said.
She also credited Jonathan’s encouragement for helping her fight through the pain.
“He always said, ‘It’s just three lifts. Just three,'” she said.
Already, the teenager is looking ahead.
“Next target is gold. I’m sure I can get it,” she said, setting her sights on SUKMA 2028.
Perlis’ Nurul Asiyah won gold, while Selangor’s Nur Sabrina claimed silver in the event.
