Ziyad to train in Germany to prepare for World Para C’ships
KUALA LUMPUR: National para shot putter Muhd Ziyad Zolkefli (pic) will train in Mannheim, Germany, for a month to prepare for the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai from Nov 7-15.
Ziyad, who won gold in the men’s F20 (intellectual disability) in the Rio Paralympics in 2016, will train under coach Khalid Alqawati of Germany from March 1- April 4.
Mohamad Aliff Mohamad Awi, who won silver in the men’s F20 shot putt in the Asian Para Games in Jakarta last October, will also train with Ziyad in Mannheim.
The 28-year-old Ziyad said he’s looking forward to training under renowned coach Khalid, who has 30 years of coaching experience.
“With his guidance, I hope to break my world record of 17.29m in competitions this year,” said Ziyad.
He has broken the world record twice – in the Rio Paralympics with an effort of 16.84m before he bettered the mark with 17.29m in the world championships in London in 2017.
But last year, he failed to come close to his personal best despite breaking the Asian Para Games record with a throw of 16.94m in Jakarta en route to winning gold last October.
Ziyad said that he’s leaving no stone unturned in training to break his world record in the world championships in Dubai in November.
“I never took a break after winning the gold in the Asian Para Games in Jakarta last October.
“I also want to defend my gold in the world meet to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics,” said Ziyad, who will be competing for the fourth time in the world championships.
He won gold in Lyon, France, in 2013 and London in 2017. In the 2015 world championships in Doha, Ziyad bagged the bronze.
Ziyad was the first Malaysian para athlete to win bronze against able-bodied athletes in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017.
Meanwhile, six para athletes will feature in the 11th Fazza International Athletics Championships in Dubai from Feb 20-28.
The athletes are Adderin Majurin in the shot putt F33 (Coordination impairments), Umi Syuhadah Idris shot putt F37 (coordination impairments), Muhamad Afiq Mohamad Ali Hanafiah 100m and 200m T12 (visual impairment), Muhamad Ashraf Muhammad Haisham 1500m T46 ( amputee) and Mohamad Saifuddin Ishak long jump T12 (visual impairment).