Johnathan confident of shooting down medals in Gold Coast

KUALA LUMPUR: A long absence from the international scene has fuelled the fire in shooter Johnathan Wong to get off to an explosive start at the Commonwealth Games.

The pistol shooter has not competed in any international competitions since winning a gold (10m air pistol) and a silver (50m pistol) at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last August but the Podium Programme athlete is not perturbed.

In fact, Johnathan is more than ready to challenge for medals in the 10m air pistol and 50m pistol in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15.

He has spent the last seven months at home to get mentally and physically strong.

“Under Podium, I get help from psychologists and physiotherapists to make sure I’m mentally and physically in good shape.

“I’ve focused on building my strength,” said Johnathan, who featured at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“All this extra support has benefitted me and I believe it augurs well for me ahead of my second Commonwealth Games,” said Johnathan.

He finished seventh in the 10m air pistol event in the Glasgow Games four years ago.

Johnathan added that training and competition against South Korean pistol shooters three times this year had been beneficial too.

“Training with them has helped me build my confidence and I believe I’ve a chance to win a Commonwealth Games medal.

“I just need to focus on my skills and be consistent in Gold Coast,” said Johnathan, who took a break from his university studies to focus on sports.