Malaysian discus thrower Irfan Shamsuddin issued an apology to his supporters following a ninth-place finish at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Thursday. The 31-year-old athlete recorded a best throw of 56.37 meters, falling short of his target to secure a top-eight finish and a potential medal for Malaysia.

China’s Abuduaini Tuergong claimed the gold medal with a winning throw of 64.26 meters, while fellow Chinese competitor Wu Nanjun took silver with 61.58 meters. The bronze medal was secured by Iran’s Sadegh Samimishalamzari, who managed a distance of 60.32 meters.

Despite feeling that his technique and body positioning were optimal during the competition, Irfan expressed disappointment with his performance. “I tried my best, and during the competition, everything felt okay. I don’t know why the throw did not go as expected when I executed it,” he said. He added that he did not want to make excuses and apologised to Malaysians for not meeting expectations.

This marked Irfan’s fourth participation in the Asian Games, having previously competed in the 2014 Incheon edition and two subsequent Games. He said he would review his performance here before turning his focus to upcoming events, including next year’s Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Championships.

“In sports, nothing is certain. We try our best, but during the competition, it may not work out. This is the process and journey of an athlete. There are ups and downs,” Irfan said. He acknowledged the hopes of Malaysians and sports fans for a medal from him and stressed that the setback would not deter him from continuing his career.

Addressing questions about his age, the seasoned athlete noted that physical strength was not an issue, as he feels stronger and fitter than before, though he admitted that his recovery period has lengthened.