KUALA LUMPUR: As the saying goes, behind every successful man is a supportive woman, and this is no different for national tenpin bowler Mohd Rizal Hassan.
Rizal, together with Muhamad Hairul Miran and Muhamad Suhaili Ab Hamid, won the men's mixed category B1/B2/B3 (visually impaired) event gold at the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games 2017 today.
The trio scored a combined 2,062 pinfalls at the Sunway Mega Lanes to deny Brunei (1,910) and Thailand (1,892), who took silver and bronze respectively, the gold.
Rizal dedicated the win to his wife Azrene Anee, without whom, he said, the victory would not have been possible.
Despite holding a full-time job at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM), Azrene has been taking care of their four children as Rizal had been training and staying at the Paralympic Centre of Excellence in Kampung Pandan, only returning to their home in Kajang on the weekends.
"This gold medal is for Azrene, I have to thank her for everything she has done to make this possible," said Rizal.
"She has sacrificed a lot to take care of the children and assumed responsibilities as the head of the house.
"Our children are very close to me but even they have learned to be more independent without me."
Rizal added that he is hoping his eldest child Adriana Zulaikha, 11, will follow in his footsteps.
"Adrianna has shown some interest in the sport and I have trained her on the weekends. I do hope she will be the next Shalin Zulkifli but I will let her decide for herself what she wants to do".
Rizal has been blind in his left eye since childhood. He has been bowling for the past five years.
Translated from Berita Harian
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