National athletes find the perfect Asian Games hideaway in Japanese mountains

NAGOYA: Malaysian athletes, seeking a reprieve from the Asian Games' high-pressure atmosphere, have been honing their skills in the Japanese mountains. For a week, they resided at Bodaira Athlete Village (BAV), perched approximately 1,000 meters above sea level, providing a serene and controlled setting to refine their performances ahead of the athletics competition that kicks off tomorrow.

Participants included 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games 100m bronze medallist Azeem Fahmi, women's 400m runner Shereen Samson Vallabouy, promising sprinter Danish Iftikhar Roslee, and men's 400m runner Umar Osman.

The head of Malaysia's national coaching team, Manshahar Abdul Jalil, praised the mountain retreat, calling it perfectly suited for the athletes' current training stage. The secluded location, nestled in a mountainous terrain, offered comprehensive amenities, including accommodation, meals, training facilities, a track, gymnasium, and an ice bath. Manshahar highlighted the absence of any illness or injury concerns, and the athletes' overall good health.

The high-altitude training facility, operated under Japan's national training center, supplied the athletes with essential recovery facilities, enabling them to focus solely on their work without external distractions. Manshahar emphasized that this final phase of preparation was crucial, as the team already comprehended their roles in delivering peak performances.

The week-long training camp concluded, and the athletes now transitioned into the competitive realm as Malaysia embarks on its athletics campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The athletics competition, scheduled to run from September 27 to September 29, will commence tomorrow.