BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

FIRM believers in the old adage ‘the early bird catches the worm’, the national junior silat team are geared up and ready for battle at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Melaka next month.

Having started training back in December last year, 10 of the best from the squad have booked their tickets to Melaka.

The previous edition of the Games in Terengganu saw three athletes fly the flag for Brunei, but they returned with no medals.

This year they are looking to do better hoping to follow in the footsteps of their seniors after Hj Md Khairul Bahrin Hj Duraman bagged the gold medal in the men’s tunggal event for the Sultanate at the 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos in December.

Training three times a day, six times a week, Mochamad Nasri, the national junior silat coach, is hoping for a successful outing this time around.

“Preparations are going very well and we managed to get some sparring partners from other teams as well. We just had one session last Friday against the RBA (Royal Brunei Airlines) team and the Temburong PSK (National Sports Festival) team on Saturday. We’re going to have one more against the Sports School Council this coming Friday,” said Mochamad when met at a training session at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday.

“Most important from these sessions are to get the athletes mentally prepared. In addition, they can use these sessions to apply the technique that they have learned.

“I would also say that the team’s fitness is good at around 95 per cent,” added Mochamad.

Asked about his target at the Games, the 42-year-old coach replied: “I want these young athletes to aim for a medal each as they have been working hard.

“There is a good chance for some medals this time and hopefully we can win one for every category since this is a subjective sport. It will be difficult to predict,” added the Indonesian.

However, Mochamad knows that the Games will be no stroll in the park.

“I’m sure that the Malaysian teams have prepared early for the Games. Not only that but some of the States will be fielding their best who competed at the SEA Games in Laos last year,” said Mochamad.

“All our athletes are first timers at the Games and I would like to use this as a chance for them to gain more experience and exposure,” added the national junior coach.

“But what matters most to me is that the athletes will do their best in Melaka and show a good fighting spirit. I need them to remain positive at all times to give themselves a good chance of glory,” concluded Mochamad.

Silat exponents, Mohd Asril Mohd Ali (Class A: 45-50kg), Mohamad Azmi Dzulkifli (Class B: 50-55kg), Md Zulhafifi Izwan Md Tamin (Class C: 55-50kg), Shahrul Syazwan Hj Bakir (Class D: 60-65kg), Ak Md Khairul Azim Pg Hj Mohamad (Class E: 65-70kg) and Md Arrsyad Hassan (Class F: 70-75kg) are expected to deliver at the Games in the men’s tanding events.

Nurul Amal Maziah Ibrahim Noor (Class A), Nurul Aimi Amalidya Zainidi (Class B) and Siti Noradiyatul Amal Roslan (Class C) will compete in the women’s tanding events.

Muhamad Imanuddin Ahmad will be the only male exponent competing in the seni regu event.The Brunei Times

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