SERDANG, Aug 18 — “It was not meant to be for my daughter to win gold.”
That was the heartfelt reaction of Mohamad Adham Rosli after his daughter, Selangor runner Siti Nur Fatihah Mohamad Adham, was forced to pull out from the women’s 3,000m steeplechase event at the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2026 yesterday.
The 19-year-old had only about 30m left to complete the race at Stadium Universiti Putra Malaysia when she collapsed after failing to clear the final hurdle and required medical attention.
She is believed to have suffered from dehydration and heatstroke following temperatures exceeding 33°C. Five other athletes were also affected by the heat during the competition and needed medical attention.
The atmosphere at the medical tent was poignant, as Adham was seen massaging to his seventh child of eight siblings, while offering words of encouragement.
Adham said he had come to terms with the situation, accepting that it was not meant to be Fatihah’s time to win gold.
“It was heartbreaking to see her situation, as she was held back by external factors, but this is all fate and I want her to bounce back even stronger.
“At the previous SUKMA, she finished fifth and had a chance at gold this time, but I am relieved that nothing serious happened to her,” he told Media Selangor.
Adham added that Fatihah developed an interest in long distance running during her school days and frequently achieved success in cross country events.
That passion paved the way for her selection to represent Selangor at a higher level before eventually competing in SUKMA.
Meanwhile, several contingent representatives voiced concerns regarding the competition schedule, particularly for long distance events held in the afternoon amidst the heat.
They hope that athlete safety and suitable competition times would be prioritised to prevent heat-related incidents from recurring for the remainder of the Games.
