Skip to main content

Arif aims to make quick rebound in Games debut after Bali failure

By RAJES PAUL

PETALING JAYA: Arif Farhan Ibrahim Putra’s first outing with the senior archers in a recurve team event got off to a miserable start in the Asian Cham­pionships in Bali last week.

And the 18-year-old hopes to make a quick rebound in his SEA Games debut in Laos.

Good guidance: Coach Lee Jae-hyung (left) giving pointers to Arif Farhan during a training session at the Bukit Jalil archery centre yesterday. — GLENN GUAN / The Star

The Asian Championships was the first major international for Arif and he was in the team who were sent packing by Bangladesh in the opening round.

The other members of the team were Cheng Chu Sian, Mohd Zulkifli Tahil and Wan Mohd Khalmizam Wan Mohd Aziz. Arif was picked to feature in the team event in favour of Olympian Khalmizam.

Currently all the four archers are working hard to get their game going for the defence of the SEA Games team title.

“The outing in Bali was a great exposure for me. The first-round defeat was hard to swallow but I will benefit from the experience,” said Arif.

“It was my first outing with the seniors and I was happy to be able to blend in well with the team. We are more determined to get our act right in the SEA Games.”

The selection of Johor-born Arif, who has yet to win a major title, came as a big surprise.

A spot in the team for the SEA Games was left vacant two months ago after Olympian Mohd Marbawi Sulaiman was dropped from the elite squad because of poor form.

“I was really surprised when I was named in the squad. It all happened so fast. I was moved to train under coach Lee (Jae-hyung) last month,” said Arif.

“To me, this is a chance of a life time. It is an opportunity to prove myself and justify the selection.”

Arif was considered a good choice for the challenges in the Laos Games after having played prominent roles in several team events this year.

He won team gold in two local circuit meets in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca. He was also the member of the national back-up squad, who finished fourth in the European Grand Prix Bulgaria in June.

The fourth placing was considered a big achievement for Malaysia as no other team have achieved a better result in the Europe circuit.

“So far, I have been able to handle myself well in tense situations. I hope I will be able to repeat the same if I am fielded in the SEA Games,” said Arif, who took up the sport only four years ago.

“I have learnt a lot since training with the national elite squad and given a little more time, I think I will be able to fulfil my dream to become a top archer in the country.”

For the individual event of the Vientiane Games, all eyes will be on Chu Sian’s defence of the gold medal.

The women’s recurve team of S. Anbarasi, Noor Aziera Taip, Nur Amirah Mohd and Fepriyenita Anuar have a mission to step out of the shadows of the Indonesians and also fend off the challenges of the Singaporeans.

At the Asian Championships, they were beaten by Singapore in the opening round by just one point.

In the compound events, Malaysia will be hoping to break the duck after returning without a medal at the 2007 Games in Korat. STAR

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Rajagobal Let Off The Hook

PETALING JAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- National head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal was let off the hook by the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) Disciplinary Committee after finding no evidence that he had violated FAM's Article 88, as claimed. FAM Disciplinary Committee chairman Datuk Taufik Abdul Razak said the committee had decided not to charge Rajagobal after carefully analysing the video of the post-match press conference by the 56-year-old coach. "After listening to the recording of the post-match press conference, we decided to drop the charge against Rajagopal as he did not make such a statement. "Maybe his (Rajagobal) assessment and comments of the match was misconstrued by the media. There was no mention of the FAM policy throughout his comments," said Taufik after emerging from a three-hour Disciplinary Committee meeting at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya, here, Wednesday. Rajagobal who does not mince his words when asked to com...
4 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more