Discus King Muhammad Irfan Sets Sights on Asian Games Gold After Regional Domination

KUALA LUMPUR, El Sky News – Malaysian discus throw champion, Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin, is aiming for the ultimate prize: a gold medal at the Asian Games, following his recent triumph in securing an unprecedented seventh consecutive SEA Games gold.

The 30-year-old athlete confirmed his shift in focus toward the continent’s premier sporting event, stating that the goal is achievable rather than a mere fantasy.

“Of course, my next target is bigger. What I see clearly now is the Asian Games gold… something reasonable and attainable, not just a pipe dream. I only need support from all parties for the entire preparation,” said the Negeri Sembilan native.

Key Highlights from the SEA Games Victory:

• Seventh Straight Gold: Irfan secured his dominant win at the Thailand 2025 SEA Games with a throw of 60.23 meters on his second attempt.
• New Games Record: His performance broke the 26-year-old SEA Games record of 59.50m, previously held by Singapore’s Wong Tuck Yim since 1999.
• Rising Asian Trajectory: Irfan’s performance on the Asian stage has consistently improved. Since his debut, he has moved from 12th place (Incheon 2014) to 5th (Jakarta-Palembang 2018), and then 6th (Hangzhou 2022) with a personal best of 58.94m at the event.

Training and Confidence

Irfan attributed his recent success to an adapted training program with his coach, Robert Fazekas, particularly during the typically challenging winter preparation period.

He expressed confidence that he was very close to breaking his own National Record of 62.55m (set in Austria in 2017) during the SEA Games.

“Honestly, I felt I could set a national record today. That feeling was there. If the throw above 60m was strong enough, I am 100 percent sure I could have done 63m to 64m because I have achieved that distance in training,” he added.