Top 10 finish fuels Hadiff’s bigger dream for Malaysian horseback archery

KUALA LUMPUR – For horseback archer Hadiff Hamidi, finishing in the top 10 at the 2026 World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan is an achievement worth celebrating – but not one he is ready to be satisfied with.

The 19-year-old was pleased with his performance but believes there is still room to improve, particularly in consistency, speed and his ability to handle pressure at the highest level.

“Of course I’m happy, Alhamdulillah. Top 10 at world level is a big achievement for me.

“But at the same time, as an athlete, you always feel like, okay, I can do better. So happy, yes. Satisfied? Not yet,” he said.

For Hadiff, staying calm under pressure is just as important as technical ability when competing against the world’s best, where even the smallest mistake can affect the outcome.

“At this level, everyone is good, so sometimes small mistakes can make a big difference,” he said.

Despite that, Hadiff believes Malaysia has shown it can compete with leading international athletes.

“I think Malaysia did really well. We showed that Malaysian athletes can compete with some of the best riders and archers in the world.

“There’s definitely still room to grow, but I think we’re moving in a very good direction,” he said.

He said hard work and adaptability were among the strengths of Malaysian athletes, despite having less exposure and access to facilities compared with athletes from some other countries.

“We may not have the same facilities or exposure as some of the countries, but our athletes are willing to learn and work really hard,” he said.

Beyond his own development, Hadiff is also looking towards the next generation of Malaysian horseback archers.

As someone who coaches younger riders, he said he sees plenty of potential among Malaysia’s youngsters, but believes they need greater exposure and consistent training from an early age.

“We have talented kids. What they need is more exposure, more competitions and consistent training from a young age,” he said.

Looking ahead, Hadiff wants to continue improving as an athlete while playing a role in nurturing more young horseback archers in Malaysia.

“For myself, of course I want to keep improving and hopefully bring Malaysia further on the international stage.

“But I also want to develop more young horseback archers in Malaysia,” he said.

For Hadiff, the ultimate goal is to see Malaysia represented by more athletes among the world’s best.

“Hopefully one day, it’s not just one Malaysian in the world’s top 10. Maybe we can have a few of us on the list,” he said.