Syakilla ready to pull her weight to win karate gold

NO obstacle is too hard to overcome for karate exponent Syakilla Salni Jefryy Krisnan (pic).

The 26- yearold, having put her weight issue behind her, is ready to take down whoever comes before her to ensure the Malaysian karate team return with an Asian Games gold medal again.

Syakilla won the women’s kumite below 61kg gold medal in her Asiad debut in Incheon four years ago but has moved down to the below 55kg category in Indonesia.

She was under fire recently when she failed to make the weight at the Asian Karate Championships in Jordan last month and was later given an ultimatum to buck up or be left out of the Asian Games squad.

At one point, Syakilla was unsure whether she would even get to step out as the Malaysian flag bearer during the Games opening ceremony on Saturday.

Syakilla is relieved that all problems have been settled and is looking ahead to her event scheduled for tomorrow.

“It was a tough time for me, I cried. Physically and mentally I was down,” said Syakilla.

“But I’m back on track with the help from the National Sports Institute, my teammates and coaches. They stood behind me as they did not want to see me fall.

“I’ve finished my preparation, I’m just waiting to bring it all out on the day.

“The memories of my first Asian Games experience is also my motivation. I was injured but I did not give up and managed to win the gold,” said Syakilla, who soldiered her way to success despite sustaining a hamstring injury in the semis in Incheon.

Syakilla has to be prepared for the biggest fight of her career so far as she has to beat Taiwan’s Wen Tzu-yun to the gold.

Two-time Asian Championships gold medallist Tzu-yun is the Asian Games defending champion in the 55kg category and she has beaten Syakilla to take bronze in the 2017 World Championships in Austria.

“Everyone is my rival. I have to be careful in every bout,” she added.

Lim Chee Wei and Celine Lee hope to give Malaysia a good start in the men’s and women’s individual kata today.

Chee Wei is the defending champion but has a slim chance to retain his title as Japan’s world champion Kiyuna Ryo has yet to lose in nearly two years.