The OCM is truly delighted to announce Muhammad Aniq Kasdan OLY (Weightlifting) and Khiew Hoe Yean OLY (Aquatics-Swimming) as the first two recipients of the OCM Athletes’ Education Fund. The duo stands to receive a scholarship worth RM 10,000 per annum until they complete their Bachelor’s Degree.

Aniq, who came close to winning the bronze medal at the XXXIII Olympic Games Paris 2024, is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management at UiTM Shah Alam. The Johor-born athlete became the first Malaysian weightlifter to win a medal at the IWF World Championship by bagging the silver in the Clean & Jerk Men’s 55kg category in Uzbekistan in 2021, before taking the bronze in Clean and Jerk Men’s 61kg in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2023. In December 2024, Aniq secured two silver medals in the Clean and Jerk and Overall category of the Men’s 61kg in the World Championship in Manama, Bahrain, four months after the disappointment of missing the bronze in Paris Olympics by a mere 1 kilogram. “I wish to express my gratitude to OCM for this scholarship. This will help me focus on my sporting pursuits without having to worry about my studies” said Aniq who turns 23 in June.

Hoe Yean, who turns 23 in September, is working towards earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at UCSI University. The Kuala Lumpur-born swimmer who bagged two gold medals in the 31st SEA Games Vietnam 2021, is the current national record holder in the Men’s 400m Freestyle, 800m Freestyle and 1,500m Freestyle events. Hoe Yean competed in Paris Olympics via a wild card granted by World Aquatics by virtue of amassing the three highest scores amongst Malaysia’s male swimmers over the past year, scoring 895 (400m freestyle), 847 (200m freestyle) and 829 (800m freestyle) points.

Prior to the Paris Olympics, Hoe Yean enjoyed a six-month training stint with Samuel Short, the 2023 400m Freestyle world champion. “I am still in the early stages of my degree but the OCM scholarship goes a long way in helping me juggle my responsibilities. This way, I shall be able to focus on the intense training schedule” said Hoe Yean. To this end, OCM invites applications for the OCM Athletes’ Education Fund via its website https://edufund.olympics.com.my and social media platforms as well as the National Sports Associations (NSAs) affiliated with OCM.

To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

1. Malaysian citizen
2. Active or retired national athlete
3. Currently enrolled at an approved local university or centres of learning or have been accepted to enter into an approved local university or centres of learning
4. Currently enrolled in or have been accepted to study in a course or program that will enhance future career prospects
5. National athletes who had participated in any Multi-Sport Games under the jurisdiction of OCM will be given higher priority.