PETALING JAYA: The 2017 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games shooting events will be kicking off tomorrow to Aug 26 at Subang Shooting Range with 14 gold medals up for grabs.
Olympic gold medalist Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam is expected to dominate the men’s pistol events at the 29th biennial meet.
Hoang, 42, has been winning gold medals from the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in 2001 to the 2015 edition in Singapore.
The Vietnamese military officer delivered his country’s first ever Olympic gold medal in the 10m air pistol event in Rio.
In this regard, the National Shooting Association of Malaysia (NSAM) is fielding 20 new and senior shooters for a better medal haul.
NSAM is betting on several new faces including Eng Wei Jin, 14, in the double trap event as well as Bukit Jalil Sports School student Nur Izazi Rosli, 17, in the women’s individual 10m air rifle while retaining veterans such as Hasli Izwan Amir Hassan and Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi.
National coach Mohd Sabki Mohd Din when met by Bernama at the Subang Shooting Range however reminded all shooters to focus on their mental strength which was proving to be an essential factor in the competition.
He said the national squad underwent a six-week intensive stint in South Korea in June as part of their training programme.
“We have also engaged three South Korean coaches to assist the team prepare for Sea Games,” he added.
Malaysia achieved their best Sea Games shooting results of six gold medals when Kuala Lumpur hosted the event in 2001.-- BERNAMA