By DayakDaily Team
SELANGOR, Sept 7: More than just his second gold medal on the Para Sukma stage, Johannes Gabriel Chew’s latest victory carried a deeper meaning as the Sarawak para powerlifter dedicated his win to the late Azlan Mos, a former Sarawak athlete who competed in the same category.
Chew, 19, topped the up-to-65kg category after recording a best lift of 135kg on his third attempt at the Para Sukma Selangor 2026 competition.
However, beyond the achievement, Chew said the gold medal held sentimental value as it was also dedicated to the late Azlan, who had represented Sarawak in the 65kg category.
“Today’s gold is dedicated to my family, the coaching team, my team and our former teammate, the late Azlan.
“He used to compete in this category. So, this gold is also for Azlan Mos,” he told reporters after the medal presentation ceremony for the event here on Monday, as reported by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).
The medal presentation ceremony was officiated by Sarawak Minister for Women, Children, and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
According to the official competition results, Chew put on a consistent performance across all three attempts, lifting 125kg, 130kg and 135kg to secure the top spot.
The victory also marked Chew’s second gold medal in his Para Sukma career.
Interestingly, Chew had not set a target of breaking the record at this year’s Games, instead choosing to focus fully on securing the gold medal for Sarawak.
“I am proud to have won gold today, and this is my second gold at Para Sukma. There was indeed no target to break the record as the focus was more on winning the gold and making my best lift,” he added.
With a previous personal best of 140kg, Johannes sees his success in Selangor as motivation to keep improving and set better lifts in the future.
Azlan passed away on July 8, 2026. He was known for lifting 171kg to break the previous record held by Malaysian strongman Bonnie Bunyau Gustin at Para Sukma 2024. — DayakDaily
