A BIG HAND TO OUR TWO HEROES
CYCLIST AZIZULHASNI ACHIEVES BACK-TO-BACK PODIUM FEAT IN TRACK WORLD CUP BODYBUILDER SYARUL CLAIMS HISTORIC TREBLE IN WORLD MEET
PETALING JAYA: National bodybuilder Syarul Azman Mike Mahen was simply unbeatable.
The 45-year-old successfully defended his world title in the athletic physique up-to167cm category to become the first athlete to claim a treble in the event at the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Chiangmai, Thailand, on Saturday.
Syarul overcame a stiff challenge from Vietnam’s Truong Quoc Long and Thailand’s Narongsak Phantusak in the 16-competitor contest.
An emotional Syarul said his third world title triumph was extra special, given the financial struggle he had to go through.
“It was a very tough year for me but I made it!” said Syarul, who’s a former Kuala Lumpur footballer.
“The training was as tough as always, but it’s the financial struggle that posed the big- gest challenge.
“I have very few sponsorships this year, but fortunately the new Youth and Sports Minister (Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman) has helped me to claim the incentive scheme that I was entitled to from my win last year.
“I’m so happy that I made the country proud once more and really hope that our sacrifice will get the recognition it deserves from the federal and state governments.”
Syarul was a bronze medallist from 2012 to 2014 before improving it to silver in 2015.
With the victory, Syarul completed a grand double as he was also crowned Mr Asia for the fourth time in Pune, India, in October.
There was more joy from the Malaysian camp as Buda Anchah won the men’s bodybuilding master category (age 40-50) for his second world title after triumphing in the 2013 meet in Budapest, Hungary.
This brings Malaysia’s medal tally to four golds after Lilian Tan topped the women’s 55kg and age 30-years-and-above categories on Friday.