Hope for Istanbul training

03/07/1998

NATIONAL Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Mazlan Ahmad is keen
to see the national weightlifters get as much exposure as possible but
this is not possible because of the lack of international competitions.
"As far as I am concerned, the weightlifters can go anywhere they want
but this is not a very active sport and there are very few competitions
that they can take part in," said Mazlan in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The weightlifters have plans to train with a club in Turkey but Mazlan
said he is yet to be briefed on this.
"If the weightlifters want to have overseas stints, it is fine with me.
They should forward it to the NSC and we will do the necessary
arrangements."
Weightlifting, a possible two-gold sport in the Commonwealth Games, has
only one major competition this year. In March the weightlifters took part
in the Commonwealth championships in Nauru while early last month, the
Pre-Games championships was held at the Mines Exhibition Hall, but it was
a competition among the national athletes.
The weightlifters train at the NSC gymnasium in Bukit Jalil and
according to those close to the athletes, the training has done more harm
than good.
"Training at the NSC has actually dulled their motivation, they need to
be pushed to the limit and this is not happening right now," said a
source.
On the Russian coach Slava Lelikov, who can't speak a word of English,
Mazlan said they did not have a choice.
"Russian Armenak Nalbandian had drawn up a plan for the weightlifters
but unfortunately he died before seeing his plan through, so we needed
someone who could work on the same principle. Lelikov was the only one
available and we had no choice but to hire him so that he can continue
with the tarining programme.
"If we had hired someone who was not familiar with Nalbandian's work he
would have a different training method and the weightlifters would have to
start from scratch."
Hidayat Hamidon, who trained under Nalbandian, is the Commonwealth
record holder in the 69kg category. He lifted 287.5kg at the Commonwealth,
Oceania and South Pacific championships in Nauru. Right now, Hidayat is
being trained by his father and Lelikov.
Matin Guntali, who won a clean and jerk silver at the 1994 Victoria
Games has not been up to the mark. At the Pre-Games, Matin failed to win
any medals in the 56kg.
The squad: Hidayat Hamidon, Rahman Ahmad, Matin Guntali, Edmond Yeo,
Kamaruzaman Jusan, Rusdi Ngah.
(END)