For archer, it’s good to band together again
KUALA LUMPUR: National para archer S. Suresh (pic) was shooting arrows with rubber bands at home, and just waiting for THE call.
When it came, he was absolutely delighted.
And the para world champion is so happy to back in Bukit Jalil, training again at the National Sports Council (NSC) archery field.
“Before this, I would train using the rubber archery training bands and so on at home, but when the NSC called me, I became very excited.
“My coach (Marzuki
Zakaria) has yet to inform me of the training pattern, but I’m ready to comply with the standard operating procedures set by government to prevent the spread of the virus,” said the Kedah-born archer.
A total of 142 athletes, sports officials and support staff from NSC and National Sports Institute (NSI) have reported for the quarantine-like training under the Road to Tokyo (RTT) programme in Bukit Jalil.
National diving queen Pandelela Rinong is also happy that she will get to train at the National Aquatic Centre after being able to do only light training at home since March 18.
“I am relieved and happy to return to the original environment (at Bukit Jalil) and I am eager to begin my training.
“It’s been almost three months that I have not dived, so I feel that training should be carried out immediately to get back our diving rhythm back before the Olympic Games next year,” she said.
The 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallist said she was ready to comply with the SOPs which includes limited movement around the Bukit Jalil complex, social distancing and the usual hand and body hygiene practices.
The government had announced that under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), several types of sports and recreational activities can resume but with strict adherence to the SOP.
These include training for team sports and sports activities that do not involve physical contact such as bowling, badminton, archery and shooting.
Outdoor group activities such as biking and motorcycle convoys will also be allowed from now on. — Bernama