KUALA LUMPUR: National para archery coach Marzuki Zakaria is of the view that an archer needs to be physically fit and mentally strong to be able to perform at his or her best.
He feels that both these elements should be well-balanced to ensure the para archers are focused during competitions.
“Not only must the outer strength (physical) be taken care of, but also the inner strength, as in mentally and spiritually… then it will be easier for para athletes to control their emotions when they are competing.
“Emotions play an important role because if they are nervous during competitions, then it can affect the para athletes’ performance,” he told Bernama when asked to comment on his squad’s overall performance during the ‘Road to Tokyo’ Archery Simulation Championship, which ended on Sunday.
During the two-day meet at the National Sports Council (NSC) archery field in Bukit Jalil, S. Suresh defeated Hasihin Sanawi 6-0 in the men’s recurve event.
Despite coming back from a long break, Suresh was physically fit and mentally strong, said Marzuki.
“Although he won, he still has to improve on his weaknesses in terms of performance, technique and emotion. He still needs to work hard to be more prepared,” said Marzuki, who added that only the two para archers were involved in the simulation championship as only the recurve event was held.
Nonetheless, he said the championship was important and beneficial for the duo, who have not taken part competitively for almost a year, as it allowed the coaches to evaluate their performance and preparedness for the Tokyo Paralympics in August next year. – Bernama
