KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — An ankle injury suffered during training since the beginning of this year has not been an obstacle for national gymnast Muhammad Sharul Aimy Mohd Kamaru Hisam to set his sights on winning a medal at the Cambodia SEA Games in Phnom Penh, from May 5 to May 17.
On the contrary, the 22-year-old is determined to put on his best performance and break records in all the events he’s participating in. This would be his second appearance at the biennial games and he is expecting stiff competition.
"Despite gradually recovering from the ankle injury, it (injury) still gives me some difficulty in training. However, I still aim to win a gold medal, especially in the vault event.
"As for the men's team event, we will do our best to win a medal after finishing in fourth place at the Hanoi SEA Games," he said when met recently.
The Cambodia SEA Games will only see the men's artistic discipline being contested.
Sharul Aimy, who also competed at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, expects a tough challenge as Filipino world champion Carlos Yulo is reported to be participating in most of the men's artistic events in Cambodia.
"The challenge is definitely different at the SEA Games as, during the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Carlos (Yulo) was not there. But in Hanoi, because of him, we lost a medal. We will also participate in the same events this time.
"I am a little nervous because Yulo has always recorded a perfect score. Regardless, I will try my best to improve the performance, especially in landing," he said.
Besides Sharul Aimy, the national squad to Phnom Penh line-up comprises Luqman Al Hafiz Zulfa, Ng Chun Chen, Teoh Chuen Feng and two new athletes, Ally Hamuda and Syakir Aiman Subri.
At the Hanoi SEA Games, the men's squad won one silver and one bronze respectively through Tan Fu Jie and Sharul Aimy in the pommel horse event.
— Bernama
