BTS inspiration fuels Li Ren to Sukma record walk victory
SERDANG: Interest in the famous South Korean K-Pop group BTS fueled the passion of young Melaka athlete Tan Li Ren when winning the gold medal in the women's 20,000-meter walking event at the Selangor Malaysia Games (Sukma) at the UPM Stadium on Tuesday.
Sukma-winning Melaka teen Li Ren credits BTS for her gold medal performance
Sukma-winning Melaka athlete Tan Li Ren credits the K-pop sensation BTS for her gold medal success at the Selangor Malaysia Games. The 16-year-old, who competed in the women's 20,000-meter walking event at UPM Stadium, became the first athlete to finish the race in 1 hour 59 minutes 41 seconds, surpassing the previous record set by Yee Zhi Xin from Negri Sembilan in 2024.
Li Ren, a student at the Pahang Malaysia Sports School, expressed her gratitude to the BTS member Park Ji-min, known as Jimin, for his continuous motivation and support. Despite facing technical errors in the past three consecutive years at the Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM) Championship, Li Ren aimed for gold this year and finally achieved her goal.
Li Ren's daily routine includes waking up at 5:15am to prepare for training sessions that run until around 8 or 8:15am. After school, she returns for a second training session from 4:30pm to 6:30pm before dinner and bedtime around 11pm. Her disciplined approach to training and studying has paid off with her historic victory at the Sukma Games, opening up the possibility of qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games later this year.
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