Malaysian weightlifter Siti Aqilah Farhana Draman stunned the field to win a historic silver medal in the women’s +86kg event at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Malaysian woman to claim a weightlifting silver at the Games.
The 20-year-old from Kuala Nerus, Terengganu recorded a total lift of 253kg, comprising 113kg in the snatch and 140kg in the clean and jerk, at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Armadillo on 30 July.
England’s Emily Campbell retained her title with a Games record total of 278kg, lifting 115kg in the snatch and setting another Games record with 163kg in the clean and jerk. Canada’s Etta Mae Love took bronze with 250kg.
Aqilah, who joined the national squad only two years ago, admitted she never expected to finish on the podium, Bernama reported.
“I really did not expect to win because I do not think any target had been set for me. Even if there was one, it was probably just a bronze medal, but I never imagined I would win silver,” she told Bernama.
She paid little attention to the standings throughout the competition, treating it as though it were an ordinary training session. “I did not overthink it. I just wanted to do my best because my coach always tells me that if we give our best, we may be rewarded with a medal. I treated it like training. I did not focus on anyone else, I only focused on the barbell,” she said.
The tension ran deep in the final. Aqilah had to endure a long wait before India’s Martina Devi failed with her final clean and jerk attempt of 146kg, confirming the Malaysian’s silver, The Star reported.
Her silver medal surpassed previous bests by Malaysian women in Commonwealth Games weightlifting. Raihan Yusoff won bronze in the women’s 53kg event at Delhi 2010, and Irene Jane Henry claimed bronze in the women’s 48kg category at Glasgow 2014.
The result adds to a dominant Games for Malaysia’s weightlifting team, which claimed five golds through Aniq Kasdan, Aznil Bidin, Erry Hidayat, Hafizuddin Roslin, and Syahmi Nor Ghazali, plus a bronze from Henry in the women’s 48kg.
Aqilah dedicated the medal to her parents, her coaches in Terengganu and the National Sports Council. Her target now is clear: gold at the 2030 Games.
“The gap to the gold medal was not that big. Hopefully, four years from now, I can win the gold, God willing,” she said.
