Male', Maldives: Shaim Azeez of Customs Recreation Club and Hassan Shammoon of Dhivehi Sifainge Club (DSC) were crowned Best Athletes at the 34th National Athletics Championship after standout performances that highlighted both rising and seasoned talent.
Representing Customs Recreation Club, Shaim clinched three gold medals while also renewing one national record and one meet record. Hailing from Addu, she struck gold in the javelin throw with a distance of 27.12m. A national high jump record holder, Shaim also secured gold in that event with a meet-record jump of 1.48m, just shy of her own national record of 1.50m.
Shaim, who was named Best Women’s Athlete at the 2023 Association Championship, continued her impressive form by breaking the national long jump record earlier this year with a 5.24m leap—surpassing her own previous record of 5.20m set last year. Speaking after her success, Shaim said she entered this year’s Nationals with the goal of winning the Best Athlete award, and though she narrowly missed surpassing her high jump national record, achieving her dream of being named Best Athlete at the Nationals was “a dream come true.”
Meanwhile, veteran thrower Hassan Shammoon extended his dominance in field events, claiming gold in both the discus and shot put. With throws of 29.04m in discus and 10.41m in shot put, Shammoon stood out as the only male athlete to win two individual gold medals at this year’s Championship.
A national record holder in shot put, Shammoon has been a powerhouse in Maldivian athletics for more than two decades.
Reflecting on his success, Shammoon emphasized that his long-standing experience has been the foundation of his consistency, describing this season, where he also won Best Athlete at the Association Championship, as the most successful of his career.
In the team awards, the Track and Field Association dominated, winning the Best Team trophy in both men’s and women’s categories. While their women’s team extended their remarkable streak to seven consecutive titles, their men’s team clinched the award for the first time in history.
This achievement makes them only the third team in the past 20 years to lift the men’s trophy, breaking the long-standing dominance of DSC, with Saaid Sports having won once during that period.
