KUALA LUMPUR − The glitter of gold is not on the radar of Malaysia’s sepak takraw team for the Hanoi SEA Games as more than 80% of the team is made up of young players.
Chief coach Abdul Talib Ahmad said Malaysia is modest about their medal target because they had missed international competitions over the past two years and could not assess the strength of their opponents, especially arch-rivals Thailand.
Talib said the team was confident of winning at least one silver and two bronze medals in the men’s category and one bronze in the women’s competition.
“On paper, Thailand have the edge but as we know, even Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar are strong in certain events.
“For regu and team, Thailand is always the strongest, just like in double and quadrant, and Indonesia and the Philippines are also strong as they have beaten Thailand before,” he told a press conference at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil here yesterday.
In the games from May 12-23, Malaysia’s men will compete in team regu, regu and double while their women counterparts will contest in team regu, regu and quadrant.
Talib said the targeted silver is expected to come from the regu event − in defence of one of the two silvers won in the 2019 edition in the Philippines.
On the team’s preparation, Talib said the men’s and women’s squads were undergoing intensive training in Janda Baik, Pahang and Marang, Terengganu respectively.
During the current fasting month, the team train from 10pm to 3am with light workouts in the afternoon.
The Vietnam-bound team comprise seven players under 21 years old, three aged between 23 and 25 and two seniors, including captain Muhammad Afifuddin Mohd Razali.
Malaysia’s sepak takraw squad last won gold in the 2017 Games in Kuala Lumpur when they triumphed in men’s regu and chinlone linking. – Bernama, April 13, 2022
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