Malaysian shot put athlete Jonah Chang Rigan created a sensation by breaking the national record with a throw of 18.81 meters (m) at the 2026 Asian Throwing Championship held at the Mokpo City Sports Complex.
The performance surpassed his previous record of 18.78 m set at the 2025 Bangkok SEA Games, proving the athlete’s continued progress on the international stage. Despite the record-breaking feat, Jonah finished outside the podium positions in a highly competitive field.
The gold medal was claimed by China’s Chen Hong Fei, who recorded a throw of 20.18 m to break the championship record. His compatriot, Chen Cheng Yu, took the silver medal with a distance of 19.64 m, while the bronze went to Kazakhstan’s Ivan Ivanov with a mark of 19.41 m.
“I should have been able to hit 19 meters, but it’s okay because I now know the distance and can perhaps achieve it in future championships,” Jonah remarked regarding his performance.
“I never thought I’d enjoy training this much until joining Sportif. The coaches are supportive and really know how to bring out the best in you.”