The 20-year-old, currently studying at Loughborough University in the UK, said his coursework has provided valuable insights into nutrition and body care, which are crucial for peak performance and injury prevention.

“Sports science helped me become a better athlete by allowing me to learn about nutrition and also how to take care of my body and prevent injuries.

“I want to become a national athlete, that has been my dream from a very young age and hopefully I can also break the national record one day,” he said after his gold-winning feat at the Sarawak Stadium here.

Kristian hit the tape with a time of 33:48.049s, edging out Perak’s Farooq Zubair Kanan (33:56.008s) and Sabah’s Nikos Tai (33:56.010s).

This year’s Sukma marks Kristian’s debut and final appearance at the Games.

He is also set to compete in the 1,500m later today and his preferred event, the 5,000m, on Thursday.