Broken simulator cable scare for Asian Games champ Taj Izrin

SEPANG: Sim racer Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira faced tense moments before clinching the Asian Games victory – his simulator cable malfunctioned. The brake and throttle cables broke while Taj Izrin and his coach, Alex Yoong, were preparing the equipment, meaning the eSports athlete lacked the planned practice ahead of the Gran Turismo 7 event.

Coach Alex instructed Taj to rest and handle the situation, who soon found a replacement component. Taj Izrin expressed relief upon arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Thursday. Bringing the simulator to Japan was part of the team's strategy to adapt to any last-minute changes. Taj Izrin, 27, admitted that the effort of transporting the simulator compounded the problem when it broke.

Victory in gold was one of the factors that reassured him. Former Formula One driver Alex revealed that their preparations two weeks prior to the Asian Games seemed promising until Taj Izrin fell ill and missed four days of training. The subsequent issue with the simulator kept them up at night, desperately searching for the cable.

However, their efforts paid off as Taj Izrin gathered 36 points across three races at Aichi Sky Expo, securing Malaysia's first eSports gold at the Asian Games.