Dzul Darwisy ends long title drought with Sukma victory

Serendah: After two years of finishing 11th at the Malaysia Games (Sukma), Kelantan high jumper Dzul Darwisy Adam Khairula Aswari is overjoyed after capturing the gold medal at the Selangor edition on Sunday. The 18-year-old sealed the title with a jump of 2.09 meters, finally achieving his dream of standing on the podium at the Universiti Putra Malaysia Stadium.

This victory is particularly significant for Dzul, as it marks his maiden triumph in a major championship. He bested two Kedah representatives, Nawawi Mohamad and Naufal Zulkifli, who secured silver and bronze, respectively, with jumps of 2.07 meters and 2.04 meters.

Dzul Darwisy expressed his gratitude, stating that the victory was both a blessing and a miracle, as he had never previously finished first in any major tournament. He recalled that the last time he achieved a noteworthy result was at the 2023 MSSM (Malaysia Schools Sports Council), where he finished third while in Form 3. For Dzul, this is the first time he has taken first place in a championship, aside from state-level competitions.

He credits his parents, friends, and everyone else for their prayers, expressing his thanks profusely.

Despite facing pain from a back injury, Dzul persisted to fulfill his dream of bringing home gold for Kelantan. He also encountered strong competition from Nawawi, who maintained pressure despite dealing with his own injury. Dzul emphasized that the main challenge was his back injury, which caused pain with every jump. However, Nawawi's explosive performance, though injured, was unexpected.