PETALING JAYA: It continues to be a bountiful year for bodybuilder Syarul Azman Mahen Abdullah as he reclaimed his Asian Bodybuilding And Physique Sports Championships title for the sixth time in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The 50-year-old made a successful bid for redemption to reach the top of the podium in the men’s athletic physique in the 167cm category late on Tuesday.
Syarul finished third in the previous edition in Maldives last year.
The year has been a rewarding one for Syarul as he earned a Datukship in February and it was only last week when he bagged the Best Athlete for 2022 in the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Awards.
“It was tough in my category, there were 15 contestants in the final but I managed to win,” said Syarul, a former footballer.
“All the Malaysian athletes did well in Kathmandu, all 10 contestants went into the final, which is a very good result. It’s only the final position that made the difference with some winning medals and some missing out.
“I was honoured with my first national awards by the sports writers last week and I flew straight to Nepal for this Asian championship, so I guess the luck continues.
“I was determined to win the Asian title this time as I was disappointed with the third place finish last year.
“It’s also a fitting birthday present for Malaysia as we just celebrated Merdeka,” said Syarul, adding that finishing on top of the podium in Kathmandu is the best motivation for his push to defend his title at the World Bodybuilding And Physique Sports Championships in Gangwon, South Korea from Nov 6-12.
“I am glad that my hard work paid off and this win is a good boost to fight for my sixth world title in South Korea in November.”
Sarawak bodybuilder Buda Anchah had won gold in the men’s Masters (age group 50-60) category on Monday.
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