Latest news with #SoutheastAsianChampionships
New Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysia to send massive bodybuilding squad to Thailand
KUALA LUMPUR: National coach Datuk Syarul Azman Mahen Abdullah is looking forward to fielding the largest-ever Malaysian bodybuilding contingent in an international competition. He is expecting to send 40 athletes to represent Malaysia at the Asian and Southeast Asian Championships in Bangkok on Aug 18-25. Syarul said the squad will be composed of both old and new faces. "This year, Thailand has decided to host both the Southeast Asian as well as the Asian Championships together," said Syarul recently. "This is the first time Malaysia is sending this many athletes to a competition. "When I was still competing, we would only send eight to 10 athletes at most. "It is exciting but also challenging at the same time. It is not easy to guide 40 athletes who each have different requirements. "From the 40 athletes, some of them are paying out of their own pockets to compete in Bangkok as they have never represented the country before. "For those who have strong track records, they are sponsored by the National Sports Council." Syarul, who retired from competitive bodybuilding last year after winning six World Championship titles, expects the contingent to win at least two gold medals in the Asian Championships. "It is a bit hard to predict who will win the medals because we have a number of athletes with strong potential to do so," said Syarul. "I am hoping at least two of them will win in their categories." Among those expected to shine for Malaysia at the Asian meet includes, Meilura Dora Jimmy, Philomena Dexclyn Siar, Zmarul Al Adam Pulutan Abdullah and Faiz Ariffin who have all tasted success at the international level before.
New Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysian karatekas spar with other nations in Hong Kong
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian karate team had a training stint in Hong Kong recently to prepare for the Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 23-25. National karate (kumite) coach R. Sharmendran said: "The Hong Kong camp gave us the opportunity to spar with athletes from Poland, Italy, Canada and Hong Kong." The athletes will return to their states for the National Championships (May 13-18), followed by the Asian Championships, Southeast Asian Championships (June 14-19), Karate Serie A (Oct 3-5) and Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20)." "We currently have 25 athletes in the training camp, nine under the Podium Programme and 16 from the back-up squad." The national team's best showing at the Asian Championships was winning four golds in 2007 in Nilai. In Hangzhou last year, Malaysia won a bronze through C. Shahmalarani in the women's below 50kg category.
