He secured Malaysia’s second gold medal when he lifted a total of 285kg, setting a new Games record for the 61kg category and defending the title he won at the previous Games.

His mother, Haslina Hamzah, 46, said Aznil, affectionately called Bang Ngah, had come home to Kedah to seek his parents’ blessings and prayers before leaving for Birmingham.

Haslina, who couldn’t hold back her tears, said her son, who is 28, never failed to contact the family to say hello and share the latest developments, and shared his joy after securing his second gold medal yesterday.

“He always makes video calls. Even when he goes for practices and competes, he would call my husband and me after winning. When he returned home after the Sea Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, he did ask for our blessings and prayers for him to do well in the Commonwealth Games too,” she said.

She said she witnessed her second son’s triumph live on television with her husband, Bidin Yaacob, 50, and their other three sons at home.

She said Aznil had been involved in weightlifting since he was 13 years old, and dreams of taking part at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Earlier yesterday, weightlifter Aniq Kasdan, contributed Malaysia’s first gold with a total weight of 249kg in the men’s 55kg category.