KUALA LUMPUR — National weightlifter Mohamad Aniq Kasdan is determined to secure his place at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow — and he wants to do it on his own terms, by winning gold at the upcoming Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in India this August.
Despite still recovering from a ligament injury to his right shoulder, the 2022 Birmingham Games gold medallist made it clear that he does not want to rely on later qualifiers.
“If I want to qualify on merit, I really need to win gold this August,” said the Olympian. “If I don’t get it, I’ll have to go through another championship next year to earn a spot.”
Aniq, who competes in the 60kg category, is targeting a total lift of 285kg in India, comprising 125kg in the snatch and between 160kg and 165kg in the clean and jerk.
“I’m not setting overly ambitious numbers because I’m still recovering — the shoulder is about 70 to 80 per cent healed — but what matters most is qualifying now, on merit,” he told Bernama. — July 5, 2025