Devastated Sharul drops hint about future after Asian Games agony

NAGOYA: Sharul Aimy Kamaru Hisam, who has been suffering from a recurring left meniscus injury, hinted that the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games might be his last appearance at the Asiad after a disappointing finish today. The Philippines athlete secured eighth place in the men's vault final with a combined score of 13.499. Carlos Yulo of the Philippines triumphed in gold with a final score of 14.599, followed by Iran's Mahdi Olfati in second place with 14.533.

Hong Kong's Ng Ka Ki rounded out the podium with a score of 14.116. Sharul, a bronze medalist at the Hangzhou Games, expressed his dissatisfaction with his performance, stating that he did not execute the plan he had in mind and was unfortunate not to secure a podium finish. The 25-year-old athlete had initially planned to skip the Games due to his injury but decided to compete after qualifying.

He had hoped to sit out the event due to the pain he experiences while running, jumping, and landing, and had focused on sparing training at about 50% capacity. Sharul admitted that this could be his last Asian Games, as there are many young athletes emerging, and the future remains uncertain. He also revealed that undergoing another surgery on his knee could impact his Olympic qualification campaign for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.