KUALA LUMPUR – “I’ve finally achieved my lifelong dream!” That was the reaction of national para archer S. Suresh after being named the National Paralympic Sportsman at the 2019/2020 National Sports Awards (ASN) ceremony on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old archer, who hails from Kuala Ketil, Kedah, was glad that all the blood, sweat and tears over the past ten years finally led to him receiving the highest award in the national sports industry.
“I am grateful to my coach Marzuki Zakaria and the state coaches for taking me this far. I would also like to thank my family who has helped me over the years, especially my wife S. Vickneswary, who received the award on my behalf from the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob).
“I hope to achieve better results after this as I believe they will help me to win more awards in the future,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Suresh was unable to attend the awards ceremony as he is in Thailand with the national team for the 2022 Phuket Para-Archery Event, which is being held from March 20-29.
Suresh, who was named the National Paralympic Sportsman on the strength of winning the men’s recurve title at the 2019 World Para Archery Championships in Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, received a trophy and RM20,000.
Suresh has endured many challenges in his life since losing his left leg in a road accident at the age of 13. He was in a truck driven by his father Selvathamby when the crash occurred.
His involvement in archery began in 2012, thanks to the encouragement of former national Paralympic archer T. Suresh, who visited him in his hometown and told him that coach M. Puvaneswaran, who was also the 2015 Singapore Asean Para Games para archery team manager, was looking for new archers.
Meanwhile, his coach Marzuki, 48, who was named the National Men’s Coach said the award would spur him to honour the trust placed in him so that the Malaysian para archery team would continue to grow.
“I dedicate this achievement to all the athletes who have sacrificed a lot of time and effort to improve themselves so as to develop the sport of archery. Thanks also to all the state coaches for helping to elevate the sport.
“During my tenure as national coach, I have had several achievements but the best was helping Suresh win the World Para Archery Championships and guiding compound archer Wiro Julin to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics,” said the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) retiree.
Marzuki, who hails from Kuantan, Pahang, was in the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) team from 1994-2000 and also represented Malaysia at the 2001 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Marzuki, who later trained the MAF and RMN, had also coached the Under-15 development squad and national backup team (2011-2014) before being appointed as the national para archery coach. – Bernama, March 24, 2022
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