Gold too heavy for lifters so coach targets one silver, two bronzes
Published on: Thursday, June 22, 2017
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Kuala Lumpur: A gold medal at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games is expected to be too heavy a target as Bulgarian coach Stefan Stefanov has promised only a silver, two bronze medals plus new national records from weightlifters during the SEA Games.Stefanov said the medals were expected from Hafifi Mansor, Muhamad Fazrul Azri and Loro Wellkinson.
"I can guarantee new national record and one silver, two bronze medal from the Kita Juara weightlifters because most of the boys are competing in the SEA Games for the first time.
ADVERTISEMENT "They are young so that's the target but I am confident that they will do better in the 2020 Olympic Games.
"This Sea Games is a training for them to do better in future," said Stafanov at the Kita Juara 2017 programme at the National Sports Council, here, Wednesday.
Four weightlifters have been chosen from the Kita Juara programme to lead the country's challenge in the SEA Games, namely Hafifi, Fazrul, Loro and Hazal Wafi Izhar.
Meanwhile, weightlifting team manager Abdullah Awang said the target was a realistic one since weightlifters from Thailand and Vietnam are more experienced and have won medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last year.
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"Hafifi and Wafi are currently training China while Khairol and Loro are undergoing training locally.
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However, all four weightlifters will undergo a month long training in South Korea soon," said Abdullah. – Bernama