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Kota Kinabalu: Young Sabahan shot putter Earl Isaac Mitzler Fredolin is now aiming to qualify for the 2027 SEA Games and secure a spot in the national elite squad, following his complete dominance at the school level.
To realise this ambition, the 18-year-old athlete and his coach, Suhaimin Kinso, have set a benchmark of consistently achieving throws beyond 17 metres as a qualifying standard for the biennial games.
Previously, Earl Isaac made history by winning the shot put event for five consecutive years at the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) championships as he even shattered the tournament record with a throw of 18.42 metres in the 2026 edition.
He also remains firmly focused on a long-term goal, to break the Malaysia Games (Sukma) record of 17.66 metres currently held by Sarawak’s Jonah Chang Rigan (set in 2024) by the time the 2028 edition of the Games arrives.
“I believe I can do it (qualify for the SEA Games and break the Sukma record), but I must maintain my performance and ensure consistent training with my coach,” he said.
Discussing his physical preparation for the senior category, Earl Isaac explained that the transition in shot weight requires a careful strategy by adapting to throwing a 6-kilogramme shot before fully shifting to the 7.26-kg specification as the 500-gramme difference significantly impacts both his grip technique and his release.
To facilitate a smooth transition to the elite level, he identified sponsorship support and opportunities to compete internationally as the most pressing needs at this juncture.
Earl Isaac emphasised that he has cultivated the mental resilience of a true competitor since his school days, and he stands ready to face any formidable rival in the throwing arena including world-class champion Ryan Crouser.
Reflecting on his success in breaking the MSSM record, he noted that it came after nearly a year of struggling to surpass the 18-metre mark, a distance he had not reached since the Sabah Schools Sports Council (MSSS) Tambunan 2025 meet.
This historic throw was the result of a “tapering” phase, a reduction in training load devised by Suhaimin two weeks prior to the championship in which training intensity was scaled back from 100 per cent to 60 per cent to allow his physical fitness to fully recover and refresh.
Earl Isaac explained that his finely-tuned muscle memory honed through years of repetitive drills gave him the confidence that he had broken the record the moment the shot left his fingers at the precise angle.
Overcome with emotion, he shed tears on the podium, reflecting on the hardships and sacrifices he and Suhaimin had endured throughout their five-year partnership.
“The first person who came to mind was my coach, because in every training session, he would say, ‘We are going to break that record.’ So, the moment I broke it, I looked for him in the crowd and said, ‘This is for you, coach,’” he shared.
He also expressed his deep appreciation to his parents and his entire family, who have provided unwavering moral support both before and after every tournament.
Offering advice to up-and-coming athletes, Earl Isaac reminded these young talents to always remain humble and not become complacent when reaching the pinnacle of success, in order to avoid any future regrets.