SERDANG, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- From just finishing 11th at the Sarawak Malaysia Games (SUKMA) two years ago, Kelantan high jumper Dzul Darwisy Adam Khairulaswari rose to emerge champion at the Selangor 2026 edition here, today.
Performing at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sports Centre, Dzul Darwisy cleared a height of 2.09 metres (m) to win gold, thus giving Kelantan its second gold medal in athletics at the biennial sports games this time.
Two Kedah representatives, Muhamad Nawawi Mohamad and Muhammad Naufal Zulkifli, won silver and bronze respectively after recording 2.07m and 2.04m.
It was also Dzul Darwisy's first victory at the main national championship stage.
“What happened today for me is a blessing. If you want to call it a miracle, you can say that. This is the first time I have won first place in any major tournament. I have never won at MSSM and in the last SUKMA in Sarawak I was not successful either.
“So this is my first victory at SUKMA, thanks to the prayers of my parents, friends and everyone who prayed for me,” said the 18-year-old athlete when met after the final.
Also present to witness the final event was former national high jump champion Lee Hup Wei who now serves as the national reserve coach.
Dzul Darwisy’s previous best achievement was third place at the 2023 Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM) when he was in Form Three.
He admitted that his performance had not improved much since then before showing more positive development this year.
Meanwhile, he also revealed that he had to endure pain due to a back injury throughout the competition, but remained satisfied when he updated his personal best from 2.03m to 2.09m despite his original target being between 2.13m and 2.15m.
He is now aiming to surpass 2.16 m to increase his chances of qualifying for next year's SEA Games before attempting to break the SUKMA record of 2.21 m by A. Kavee Alagan of Negeri Sembilan which was set in the 2012 edition in Pahang.
-- BERNAMA