INCHEON: To be the best, one has to learn from the masters.
And the Malaysian recurve archers did just that – spending three weeks training with the South Korean bull’s-eye shooters in Incheon as they bid to win their first-ever Asian Games medal.
The quartet of Khairul Anuar Mohd, Haziq Kamaruddin, Atiq Bazil Bakri and Ikram Joni left for South Korea on Aug 26 and have been practising daily at the Kolon Archery Club.
National coach Lee Jae-hyung said the Malaysians also trained with club member Lee Chang-hwan, who helped South Korea win the recurve team gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
“He was also a former world champion for individual recurve in 2007,” said Jae-hyung.
“We requested to be sent early to get quality sparring practice. You cannot get a better training environment than at the Kolon club.
“The Koreans are the best in the business. When the Kolon Archery Club granted us permission, it was an opportunity too good to pass up, especially with an Olympic gold medallist in their midst.
“The new best-of-five-set format will be used for the team competition but it is the event we are hoping to get a medal.
“Our aim is to get into the semi-finals first. This is a new team compared to the last Asiad. In archery, it is getting the right act. It is important for us to do well in the qualification and be ranked inside the top four to avoid playing South Korea before the semis.”
The South Korean coach also believes two-time SEA Games champion Khairul has a fighting chance for glory in the individual event.
At 23, Khairul, who clinched a silver in the World Cup round in Shanghai in 2011, is the most senior member of the team. Haziq, Atiq and Ikram are 21, 20 and 18 respectively.
Malaysia are now ranked 12th in the world and fifth in Asia behind South Korea (world No. 1), Japan (No. 4), India (No. 5) and China (No. 9).
Malaysia failed to shine in the World Cup this year despite having won four silvers previously.
At the Asian Games, Malaysia have yet to break their medal drought since their first participation in Doha in 2006.
The archery competition starts at the Gyeyang Archery Field on Tuesday. Sept 23.
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