23 November 2003

Don't fear your rivals, Muhammad tells exponents

Malaysian Silat Federation (Pesaka) president Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib announced a four-gold medal target for the Sea Games.

Muhammad also told the silat exponents, during `Buka Puasa' in Shah Alam on Friday, that they must compete without fear although they will be competing in Vietnam, who are ranked World No 1, ahead of Indonesia and Malaysia, ranked second and third respectively.

In the 2001 KL Sea Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia won five gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

Pesaka was to have announced its target earlier, but Muhammad was unable to meet the exponents to set the target because of personal commitments over the last few weeks.

"Our president told the athletes to compete without fear, to take up the challenge and aim for the best during the Sea Games," said Pesaka secretary Megat Zulkarnain Omar Din in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Megat Zulkarnain said the president expects three of the four gold medals to come from the silat olahraga or combat events and the other from the silat seni (demonstration) events.

"The president believes the target is achievable, considering the talent in the squad comprising a mix of seniors and juniors." World champion Ahmad Shahril Zainuddin and 2001 Sea Games gold medallist for the ganda puteri or doubles event Noorsyhidawati Abdullah Sani and Shalina Abdul Ghafar are expected to win gold once again. The duo clinched silver in last World Championships.

Mohamed Azmin Malik is also expected to win gold, which will be his third in a row, after winning in the 2001 and 1999 editions of the Sea Games.

The squad will have a three-day break for Hari Raya and will rejoin the Sea Games training camp at the National Sports Institute on Thursday.

Sourced from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-21917091_ITM

No comments: