Surprise visit from mum inspires Nurqalida to Sukma gold

KAJANG: A surprise visit from her mother at Dewan Seri Cempaka MPKJ proved to be a perfect motivation for Perlis weightlifter Nurqalida Umirah Abdullah as she claimed gold at the Selangor Malaysia Games (Sukma) on Monday. The 17-year-old secured the top spot in the newly introduced women's under-58kg category, lifting 76kg in the snatch and 88kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 164kg.

Sarawak's Irene Tiang Ming Jie finished second with a total of 130kg (57kg, 73kg), while Pahang's Siti Nur Aliya Maisarah Suid came in third with 123kg (53kg, 70kg).

Nurqalida's mother, Siti Salmah Sharif, made an unexpected appearance at the competition, despite not having been informed in advance. Nurqalida expressed her gratitude, dedicating her victory to her family, especially her late father who had been her biggest supporter in her sporting career. The surprise visit took on added significance as Nurqalida had recently lost her father to liver cancer in 2021.

Initially a race walker, Nurqalida switched to weightlifting due to asthma. Her father had always supported her in whichever sport she chose, as long as it was best for her. The gold medal was her main target at this year's Sukma, following a silver medal in the 55kg category at the 2024 edition in Sarawak. Despite initial nerves, Nurqalida credits her coach for boosting her confidence, leading her to focus on winning the gold medal.

Nurqalida hopes her victory will inspire her to continue improving and secure a spot on the national team.