SHAH ALAM, Sept 7 — Selangor para swimmer Alysha Aryana Mohd Khairul Azli delivered a standout performance striking a gold medal and breaking the national record at Para SUKMA 2026, today.
The youngest state swimmer’s victory not only fulfilled the target set for the Games but also exceeded expectations, with the athlete producing a record-breaking performance after more than a year of preparation.
Her mother Nurul Ain said the family was overjoyed by the achievement, especially after watching Alysha at the starting block.
“Alhamdulillah, we are happy. When she was at the starting block, we were really nervous and wondered whether she could do it.
“Alhamdulillah, with Allah SWT’s permission, everything went well and we were very confident in her,” she said.
Nurul Ain said Alysha, 12, had been preparing for more than a year for the Games, adding that her gold medal and national record were proof that the athlete’s hard work and training had paid off.
She said one of Alysha’s main challenges is to fully grasp certain instructions and training techniques.
“Sometimes she does not understand, so that is her challenge. But since she is used to being in the water since she was eight, Alhamdulillah, she can pick things up one by one,” she said.
Nurul Ain also added that Alysha’s years of experience in the water had helped her gradually adapt to and understand her training.
While the family had been confident that Alysha could win gold, they did not expect her to go a step further by breaking the national record.
“We did expect her to win gold, but we did not expect her to break the national record.
“She has achieved our target of qualifying for the ASEAN Para Games next year,” she said.
Nurul Ain also expressed her appreciation to everyone who had supported Alysha’s journey in para sports since she first took up swimming at the age of eight.
