Life is tough but Luqman’s going through hurdles in his stride

PETALING JAYA: National artistic gymnast Luqman Al-Hafiz Zulfa (pic) is far from being 100% fit for competitive action, but he is not throwing in the towel just yet.

The 21-year-old Luqman is on a break from training to recover from a knee surgery that he underwent in October.

He sustained a complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear on his left knee while he was performing his routine on rings during training in July.

Luqman, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation process, may need another four months before he can return to the training mat.

Despite the lengthy layoff, Luqman remains optimistic as he acknowledges the risk of getting back on his feet too soon.

“I’ve been in post-operation recovery for about 11 weeks now, and things are progressing well,” said Luqman.

“I’m still undergoing physiotherapy and rehabilitation as I need more time to strengthen my knee.

“I’ll have to wait for another three to four months before starting training again.”

He said he was on track with coach Ng Shu Liang’s plan.

“My main focus is on recovery while ensuring I don’t lose all my muscle strength. I may sustain another injury if I rush into training,” he said.

Luqman had to forgo his maiden appearance in the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, in September, which served as the qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics this year, due to the injury.

Luqman had booked his ticket to the world meet after finishing 18th in the individual all-around in the Asian Championships in Singapore in June.

Earlier, he had given up his ticket for the Asian Games as it was scheduled at the same time with the world stint.