Coach gets the chop
Karate coach fails to whip Syakilla into shape for Japan meet
Karate coach Andris Vasiljevs has paid a heavy price for the failure of his charge – Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan – to participate in the K1 Premier League Japan in Tokyo due to her weight issue. The decision will most likely have repercussions for Syakilla as well – will she remain in the Tokyo Olympic programme, or even take part in the SEA Games?
The National Sports Council (NSC) have sacked karate coach Andris Vasiljevs after his exponent Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan failed to make weight at the K1 Championship in Japan last week.
This is not the first time Syakilla has missed an event.
She also skipped the back-toback Karate 1 Premier League in Dubai and the Karate 1 Series A in Salzburg, Austria, in March which offers Olympic qualifying points.
The 26-year-old Syakilla has been struggling since last year after she changed her weight class from below 61kg to below 55kg in her bid to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
In Vasiljevs’ first stint here in 2012, the Latvian took charge of the kumite team and guided Syakilla to a silver at the 2014 world meet in Germany.
In fact, she was ranked the world’s No. 1 in her weight category at one point under his guidance.
However, Vasiljevs’ contract was not extended as the kumite team returned without a gold at the Asian Karate Championships in Jordan in July and the Asian Games in Jakarta in August last year.
Vasiljevs, was re-hired on a three-month probationary attachment in July following the karateka’s request.
To prepare for the K1 championship, she went to Thailand for a one-month centralised training with Vasiljevs.
The NSC director general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail had earlier stated that Syakilla must deliver at the Japan meet to remain in the Olympic programme.
Shapawi will now have a discussion with the Malaysia Karate Federation to decide on Syakilla’s fate.
“We have decided not to extend Vasiljevs’ probationary period after Syakilla failed to compete in Japan,” said Shapawi.
“As for Syakilla, we want to find an amicable solution.
“She is still listed for the SEA Games in the Philippines and will be participating in two events, individual and team.”