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Champions who bear our flag and their stories behind the medals

ALTHOUGH they come from different backgrounds, compete in different arenas and chase different dreams, when Malaysian athletes step onto the international stage, they carry the same flag.

The Star MalaysiaThe Star2026-09-10 06:40查看原文 ↗

ALTHOUGH they come from different backgrounds, compete in different arenas and chase different dreams, when Malaysian athletes step onto the international stage, they carry the same flag.

In a way, they also represent every Malaysian who strives not only for personal victory, but for the success of the country as a whole. From the badminton court to the diving board, the athletics track to the squash court, Malaysia’s sporting heroes have given the nation countless moments of pride.

Their medals and records may belong to individual athletes, but the moments they create are shared by a country, bringing Malaysians together in celebration regardless of race, age or background.

As the country approaches Malaysia Day on Sept 16, we look at some of these outstanding athletes – not just for their achievements, but for the personal touches that make them unique.

Mischievous ‘Racing Boy’

Before hurtling through the air towards gold in the men’s long jump T20 at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Datuk Latif Romly was an avid footballer and an energetic child who was always on the move.

He loved running and playing futsal and even dabbled in high jump. The youngest of seven siblings, he was considered the most tiresome by his mother and once literally stirred up a hornet’s nest, receiving 14 stings.

Latif went on to break several of his own records and win more titles, including another Paralympic gold at Tokyo 2020. Most recently, he added the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games title to his collection, describing it as the culmination of a patient 12-year journey to win every major international title.

Squash queen loves urban music

Away from the squash court, Datuk Nicol David enjoys hip-hop and R&B music. The eight-time World Open champion also loves street dancing and doodling, making her notebook and phone indispensable companions.

Starting at the tender age of five, Nicol joined her sisters in friendly matches. But with regular squash racquets too big for her, her father made her a custom wooden one to practise with.

And while being a professional athlete meant keeping herself in top shape, the Penang girl still enjoys char kuey teow and laksa during the off-season. Durians, however, are not quite her thing.

Nicol held the women’s world No. 1 ranking for 108 consecutive months, from August 2006 to September 2015. A mathematics whiz, she might even have ended up as an engineer had life taken a different turn.

Diving champ with a K-pop passion

Datuk Pandelela Rinong Pamg is another athlete with a passion beyond her sport. She enjoys K-pop and has even tried learning some of its slick dance moves.

Had she not taken up diving, Pandelela might have pursued gymnastics, which similarly relies on core strength and acrobatic skills.

She also loves travelling, cosplay and Japanese sakura trees in bloom. A huge fan of Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbour Totoro , she has collected everything from toys and dolls to bed sheets, bags, shirts, hats and stuffed toys featuring the beloved character.

Pandelela is also an admirer of tennis great Rafael Nadal, whom she respects for his work ethic and determination.

Hyperactive kid finds her outlet

What happens when a child is bursting with energy, climbing and jumping around whenever she visits a playground? You channel that energy into gymnastics – and watch her become a pioneer for the sport in Malaysia.

She began training at the age of three and joined the national team at eight, eventually making her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. She was only the third Malaysian to qualify for the highly competitive sport at the Olympics.

A multiple SEA Games gold medallist who has also competed at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and world championships, she has nevertheless been open about her frustration with online trolls on social media.

Accidental weightlifting star

Aniq Kasdan’s journey to becoming one of Malaysia’s leading weightlifters began almost by accident. A budding hockey player, he accompanied his older brother to weight training and gradually became drawn to the sport, which also offered an escape from being cooped up in the dorms.

He spent a year convincing his father that weightlifting was the right path for him before going on to win silver in the clean and jerk at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships – Malaysia’s first-ever medal at the event.

When Covid-19 disrupted training, Aniq returned to his kampung and worked at an oil palm plantation while continuing to train with his coach through video calls.

After winning Malaysia’s first gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, his first priority was surprisingly simple – his mother’s cooking.

Gallery of national fame

These athletes and more are now honoured in Semangat Membara, Untukmu Malaysia , an art installation by U Mobile at Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad in Kuala Lumpur until Sept 16.

Their stories may be different, but together they remind us of the many faces behind the Jalur Gemilang and the shared pride that comes when that flag rises.

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尽管马来西亚运动员来自不同的背景，在不同的赛场上竞争，追逐不同的梦想，但当他们踏上国际舞台时，他们举着的是同一面旗帜。

从某种意义上说，他们也代表了每一位马来西亚人，他们不仅追求个人胜利，更致力于国家的整体成功。从羽毛球场到跳水台，从田径跑道到壁球场，马来西亚的体育英雄们为国家带来了无数荣耀时刻。

他们的奖牌和纪录或许属于运动员个人，但他们创造的时刻却是整个国家共享的，让马来西亚人民无论种族、年龄或背景都团结在一起庆祝。

随着马来西亚日（9月16日）的临近，我们将目光投向一些杰出的运动员——不仅关注他们的成就，更关注那些让他们与众不同的个人特质。

淘气的“赛车男孩”

在里约2016残奥会男子T20级跳远比赛中飞跃空中夺得金牌之前，拿督拉蒂夫·罗姆利曾是一名狂热的足球运动员，也是一个精力充沛、总是动个不停的孩子。

他热爱跑步和踢五人制足球，甚至还尝试过跳高。作为七个兄弟姐妹中最小的一个，他被母亲认为是最令人头疼的，而且有一次他真的惹恼了一个黄蜂窝，被蜇了14次。

拉蒂夫随后打破了多项自己保持的纪录，并赢得了更多头衔，包括在2020年东京残奥会上再次获得金牌。最近，他又将2026年格拉斯哥英联邦运动会冠军头衔收入囊中，他将其描述为历经12年耐心奋斗，最终赢得所有重大国际冠军的巅峰之作。