IRFAN GETS HIS WISH
Discus champ to train under coach Petrovic in Podium Programme
DEVINDER SINGH devinder@nst.com.my
IRFAN Shamshuddin welcomed the inclusion of his coach Fero Petrovic in the elite Podium Programme as the discus thrower eyes medals at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year.
Petrovic, along with triple jumper Hakimi Ismail's coach Viktor Sotnikov, is to be absorbed into the Podium Programme after Irfan won a silver medal at the Asian Championships last year.
Irfan went on to clinch a hattrick of Sea Games gold medals in 2017, a year which also saw him extend his national record to 62.55 metres.
His achievements put him among the medal contenders at both the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April and the Indonesia Asian Games in August.
"I've worked hard for a long time to be included in the Podium Programme and I'm glad my coach is also in," said Irfan today.
"I hope we can achieve a lot more together as now we are free to plan and make decisions on our own. Previously, we had to go through our association but this makes things a lot more straightforward."
Irfan is in the midst of planning his build-up for the Commonwealth Games with Petrovic and may set up camp in Australia as high jumpers Nauraj Singh Randhawa and Lee Hup Wei plan to do.
"We may go to Australia to prepare and maybe stay there until the Commonwealth Games," said Irfan, who finished ranked 51st in the IAAF's 2017 top list for men's discus
"Both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are equally important to me. I know I can win a medal at both competitions but it all depends on the situation during the competition."
Irfan's personal best would have won him a bronze at the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow four years ago while his silver at the Asian Champonships makes him a strong favourite for a repeat showing in Indonesia.
Malaysia last won a medal in athletics at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 through para sprinter Hisham Khaironi (silver) and walker Yuan Yufang (bronze) while pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu (silver) and 400m hurdler Noraseela Khalid (bronze) won the country’s last Asian Games medals in the sport in 2006.