PETALING JAYA: Commonwealth Games gold did more than crown Erry Hidayat – it saved his career.
The 27-year-old admitted he was ready to retire if he had returned from Glasgow empty-handed after battling a serious back injury that had left him questioning his future.
Instead, Erry struck gold in the men’s 79kg event, convincing him to continue competing for at least a few more years.
The triumph was especially sweet as it ended a 12-year wait across three Commonwealth Games appearances, dating back to the Gold Coast edition in 2018.
"If I hadn't come home with a medal, I probably would have retired.
"My back injury was quite serious before. There was a time when the swelling was so bad that I struggled to walk. It's getting better now, although I still feel the pain," said Erry when met at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Saturday (Aug 1).
After fulfilling the promise he made to his father, Hidayat Hamidon, who won Commonwealth Games gold on home soil in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, Erry has now turned his attention to life after sport by looking for a job.
While he intends to continue competing, Erry said he also has to think about his future as he knows an athlete's career does not last forever.
He is set to graduate with a degree in Human Resource Development from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in December.
"Some people have asked if I'm retiring and I tell them no. I only recently finished my studies, so I'll continue training as usual. But maybe next year or in two years' time, I'll start looking for a career that allows me to continue competing as an athlete.
"I have to think about my future. I can't rely on sport forever. Right now I'm at my peak, but once I reach my 30s and injuries start catching up with me, who's going to pay my salary?" said Erry.
