Archer Khairul fulfils late father’s wish

SEPANG: For national archer Khairul Anuar Mohamad, the double success at the just concluded World Archery Championships in Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, also meant the world to him, personally.

Clinching a semifinal spot earlier also meant that he had secured an automatic ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, but it was his runner’s up medal that got him all sentimental, as it had always been his late father’s wish to win a medal at the World Championships.

“Before he died, my late father told me I must strive to win a medal, gold preferably, at the World Championships or the Olympics.

“I tried my best to fulfil his wish, step by step. I had injuries but competed through them because I love this sport too much.

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“He (late father) told me never to quit easily when I suffer losses. This win at the (World Championship) had been one of his wishes to see my successful,” he told reporters when met upon his return at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here, Tuesday.

Khairul missed a great opportunity to become the first Malaysian world champion in archery when American Brady Ellison won the single arrow extra shoot-out in the men’s individual recurve final on Sunday, but it was still sweet success for both the 28-year-old from Terengganu and the nation as Malaysia had never produced a medallist at the World Championship before.

Tokyo will be Khairul’s third Olympic Games after also competing in the London (2012) and Rio (2016) editions.

On his preparations for Tokyo, Khairul said he will continue to train hard for the national team’s next assignment at the World Cup in Berlin and secure Malaysia an automatic slot at the Olympic Games in the team category.

Meanwhile, National Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said an aggressive approach will be used for both Khairul and national para archer S. Suresh in their preparations for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Tokyo next year.

Among the important elements to be focused on were training locations and collaborations with nations hosting the training facilities.

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“I have discussed this with coach Lee (Lee Jae Hyung) and Datuk Hamid (National Archery Association of Malaysia (NAAM) secretary Datuk Abdul Hamid Hasan) on how we can utilise the long period available to prepare for the Olympics, and further discussions will be held soon,” he told reporters at KLIA.

Prior to Khairul’s silver medal winning feat, Suresh, 25, won the recurve gold medal at the 2019 World Archery Para Championships, also held in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, defeating United States’ Eric Bennett 7-3 in the final. – Bernama

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