Gold’s the colour for free-wheeling cager
KUALA LUMPUR: Losing a limb gave Mohd Khairul Azman a new sense of purpose – wheelchair basketball.
The sport, he says, has given him the courage to face life with a positive attitude.
The 32-year-old, who picked up the sport 10 years ago after losing his right leg in a road accident when he was just 19, believes that he owes it to sports for giving him a second chance in life.
And now he wants to give something back to the sport – by helping Malaysia land the elusive gold medal at the Asean Para Games from Sept 17 to 23.
That, he hopes, will inspire more disabled people to pick up the sport.
“I was just 19 when I lost my leg in an accident.
“But I never thought that was the end for me. When my sister brought me to the Industrial Training and Rehabilitation Centre (PLPP) in Bangi when I was 22, I saw a lot of people there with more severe disabilities.
“I picked up wheelchair basketball because I enjoy its aggressive nature. It was like I had been given another opportunity to do something with my life.
“Unfortunately, not many are keen to take up wheelchair basketball as it’s a very aggressive sport. Many are afraid that they may end up aggravating their injuries.
“I would like to encourage parents of disabled children to let their kids give wheelchair basketball a try.
“The sport changed my life for the better. I’m sure it will have the same effect on them.”
Malaysia won the bronze at the Asean Para Games in 2005 in Manila and finished second best to Thailand four times – at Korat 2007, KL 2009, Napyidaw 2013 and Singapore 2015.
The other 11 members of the 12-man wheelchair basketball team are Ahmad Nazri Hamzah, Mohd Azwan Yusoff, Chua Tze Kah, Muhd Azzwar Hassan Asaari, Muhd Roozaimi Johari, Mohd Razzuwad Mat Seman, Zulfikri Zakaria, Hafizuddin Bahrin, Freday Tan Yei Bing, Muhd Atib Zakaria and Razali Cantik.