The 29th Games best chance to end 26-year wait

KUALA LUMPUR: The 29th SEA Games is the best chance for Malaysia to wrest back the karate gold medal in the kumite men's team event and end the 26-year wait to win the medal.

National karate champion, Shaharudin Jamaludin said the national athletes were in high spirits to grab the gold in the event on home ground after Malaysia last won the gold at the 1991 SEA Games in the Philippines.

The 29-year-old athlete who came back to the national squad for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games after resting for four years is confident that the national squad would not disappoint the nation and was capable of creating history.

“I began to go for the gold medal in the event since 2007 but lost in several final matches such as in 2007 and 2009, we (Malaysia) lost to Vietnam, in 2011 we lost to Indonesia and in 2013 we were beaten by Thailand.

“Don't let the other countries seize the gold from Malaysia. We keep the gold won in our own country,” he told Bernama.

Shaharudin said his team-mates such as R.Sharmendran, Ravin Vijaya Kumar, Somanroy Arulveeran, M.Arvindran and Prem Kumar Selvam were capable of bringing glory to the national team.

The national karate icon was the gold medallist in the kumite event for the 67 kilogram category at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia. He also won the bronze medal at the 2007, 2009 and 2013 SEA Games besides winning medals for Malaysia in several international championships.

The karate event was not included in the competitions at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

Shaharudin left the karate sport for about four years due to a shoulder injury and rested for his injury to heal.

"The SEA Games this time forms my 'come back' after the injury. I have received training from the national coach for two months and I am ready physically and mentally,” he said.

The Malaysian Karate Federation (Makaf) is targeting six gold medals from the 16 events participated by the national squad, scheduled to be held from Aug 22 to 24 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

The best achievement by the national squad in the karate event at the SEA Games was when Malaysia hosted the 2001 edition when the country won nine gold medals. Bernama