PETALING JAYA: National shooting coach Firdaus Abdul Rahim is keen to make full use of the preparation time available next year as the focus shifts to sustaining the team’s momentum.
The national shooting squad enjoyed a strong outing at the recently concluded Thailand SEA Games, returning from Bangkok with four gold medals.
Among the gold medallists was Johnathan Wong, who successfully defended his men’s 10m air rifle title.
Firdaus said he would focus on Johnathan’s consistency.
“Based on my observations, Johnathan tends to show hesitation early in competitions, but he usually delivers in the final,” said Firdaus.
That pattern was evident in Bangkok, where Johnathan finished seventh in the qualification round before shooting his way to gold in the final.
The 33-year-old clinched his third SEA Games gold medal, having also triumphed in Kuala Lumpur in 2017 and Hanoi in 2021.
“We want to prepare well for all athletes including Johnathan,” he said.
“Although Johnathan can be stubborn at times, he listens well and learns fast.”
Malaysia’s other shooting gold medals were won by Gan Chen Jie in the women’s 50m rifle three positions, Haritz Ikhlil Hessly Hafiz in the men’s 50m rifle three positions, and Ong Chee Keng in the men’s individual trap.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
