Hitting the right note: Isaac taking a break from training by playing the drums. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Isaac Tan Zhen Wei’s Commonwealth Games debut has hit a snag but the triathlete is undeterred as he has only one thing on his mind ... to make the nation proud.
Isaac will be competing in the event without compatriot and training partner Chong Xian Hao, who has not recovered from an elbow injury.
“I’m feeling a bit nervous as I have to compete alone without Xian Hao. But I’m adamant to give my best and make Malaysia proud,” said the 17-year-old who left for Birmingham yesterday with coach Albert Tan.
Isaac, who is autistic, ventured into the sport when he was 12 but only received professional training last year.
His mother Susan Tee Lay Yean said their initial purpose of getting him involved in sports was to make him burn calories as he was hyperactive.
However, they soon noticed that he enjoyed doing his ‘hobbies’ so they signed him up for races.
And his parents were surprised with the results.
“We noticed that he is always smiling while swimming and cycling so we registered him for triathlon events.
“And he did well in the races, so we decided to get him proper training. He has gained a lot of confidence too since he started winning races.”
But it has not been a bed of roses.
The FTP (Functional Threshold Power) tests were quite challenging for him but he was able to stay committed thanks to his strong mindset.
The tests are used to measure the highest average power that a cyclist could sustain for almost an hour.
“One of the challenges that I faced was the FTP test, which a lot of people couldn’t handle,” said Isaac.
“Another one is running. I find it challenging because I have to keep running with no breaks in between.
“But luckily, my mindset says I have to increase the speed and that is what kept me going.”
Isaac has shown great improvement based on the results of two official tournaments that he competed in this year.
At the TriLiga National Junior Elite sprint distance on Feb 20 at Silverlakes Brand Village, Ipoh, Isaac finished second with 1’03:59 behind Xian Hao, who completed the race in 1’01:53.
On June 4, Isaac posted his personal best of 1’01:05 at the Asia Triathlon Sprint Championships in Sejong, Korea.
Isaac hopes to rewrite his best time at the Commonwealth Games.
“I worked hard because I want to push myself to my limit and set a new mark,” added Isaac, who will take part in the event consisting of a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run in Birmingham.
