Sultan Mizan breaks SEA Games record to win gold
SETIU: It is the pride of the nation and people! The Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and the horse ‘ Rtes Annaversary’ not only succeeded in winning the gold but also created a new Kuala Lumpur SEA Games 2017 record in the endurance race for the individual category.
Donning the jersey number 111, the Sultan began the 80 kilometer race at 3am at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) Lembah Bidong, here and broke the record three hours earlier to complete the race.
Sultan Mizan, who arrived at the finishing line at 8.18am with a time of three hours 48 minutes and 38 seconds, broke the Malaysian athlete’s record of six hours and 26 minutes achieved by Mohd Sulaiman Muda at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar.
The average speed was 20: 994 kilometers per hour.
What was even more special was that it was the first time that the Sultan was competing in the hi stor y of the SEA Games.
In an exclusive interview with Bernama after the race, Sultan Mizan expressed his gratefulness and happiness, and described the success as a result of the cooperation of everyone.
The Ruler also shared his familiarity with the horse from Australia and happily explained that the suitabi lity of their ‘ partnership’ for the past eight years had enabled them to achieve several victories at various world championships earlier.
I n pr ep ar a t i on for t he championship, the Sultan had tr a ined ever y day without taking for g ranted every cha l lenge to b e fac ed although the TIEP was like a ‘playground’ for him. “In order to participate in the event, several p oi nt s ha d to be ta k en into consideration before being selected t o represent Malaysia...the desire to represent the nation came by coincidence as I too had indulged in the sport,” he said. The Ruler also shared his recipe throughout the race, filling up the time conversing with the other Malaysian athletes as they were always together since the start. “I am thankful to Allah that everyone was safe and the event was held in the state of Terengganu, and had received public response,” the Sultan said. In addition, he c ong r atu l at e d the Malaysian team as well as team manager Che Mat Din Ismail, all the riders, the groom crew, veterinary as s i s t a nt , the farrier and everyone who had worked hard for the success of his team. Sultan Mizan said t hat i n May next year, Terengganu would hold th e A si a n Endurance Cup Championship and he hoped to make Terengganu as the venue for the World Junior Endurance Championship in future. The Ruler also thanked the state government for supporting the efforts to create the endurance sport in the state. — Bernama
In order to participate in the event, several points had to be taken into consideration before being selected to represent Malaysia... the desire to represent the nation came by coincidence as I too had indulged in the sport. Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, gold medallist