Sazali Samad won gold at the World Police and Fire Games in Belfast earlier this month.
KUALA LUMPUR: Sazali Samad, fresh from bagging gold at the World Police and Fire Games in Belfast earlier this month, is aiming to make it a triple celebration at the Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at the end of the month.
The Batu Pahat-born police officer will be defending his Mr Asia title in the lightweight category (below 70kg) on Merdeka Day – Aug 31 – which also happens to be his youngest child Nur Aleesya Hana’s birthday.
“I retained my Asian title in Guangzhou last year and I’m hoping to do it again,” said the father of five.
“I’ll be competing on Merdeka Day ... I’m determined not just to fly the Jalur Gemilang high but make it a happy day for my family as my youngest child will be two years old on that day!”
Sazali first won the Mr Asia title in 1996 in the bantamweight category (65kg). He then followed it up with victories in bantamweight category in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2010 – breaking Malek Noor’s record of six Mr Asia titles.
Sazali has since gone on to win the title two more times – in 2011 and 2012, both times in the lightweight category.
“I continued to train hard during the fasting month. It was tough and I needed to motivate myself because I was carrying all those heavy weights without any water or food during training.
“It gets harder as you get older, but bodybuilding is my passion ... I can’t live without it,” said Sazali, who has also won a record eighth title (lightweight category) at the World Bodybuilding and Physique Championships in Hungary in November.
The 45-year-old leads a 12-member strong Malaysian team at the Asian meet.
