Sharmendran refuses to single out gold contenders for Asian Games

KUALA LUMPUR: Karate head coach R. Sharmendran asserts that his five athletes possess genuine potential to achieve an unexpected victory at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, but he adamantly insists against concentrating the pursuit of a gold medal on a single competitor. The coach drew parallels to the 2022 Hangzhou Games, wherein Arif Affifudin Malik earned the gold medal in the men's kumite under-84kg category, despite not being singled out as the champion.

Arif triumphed over Kazakhstan's Daniyar Yuldashev, who had clinched bronze at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. Sharmendran emphasized that everyone has the capacity to win, and no one anticipated Arif's victory at the time. The coach underscored the importance of focusing on the best-performing athlete during the competition, rather than fixating on a specific individual's success.

As the Malaysian Karate Federation president, Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad, seeks to secure at least one gold medal from Aichi-Nagoya, Sharmendran emphasized the necessity of setting targets. While he acknowledged the importance of having a target, he firmly refused to place undue pressure on a single athlete. He argued that it is more beneficial for the team to collaborate and strive for success together.

In the 2022 Hangzhou edition, the national karate team secured one gold and two silver medals, placing fourth among the 25 competing nations.