More exposure required

02/07/1998

WEIGHTLIFTING and badminton are the only sports that have produced medals
at the Commonwealth Games. But while badminton has had its fair share of
exposure and tournaments, the weightlifters have had to settle for
training in a sweatshop-like environment.
That is not all. Russian coach Slava Lelikov cannot speak a word of
English while local coach William Yeo chooses to remain silent.
"It is clearly stated in my contract that I can't make any statements
regarding the weightlifters. The person to talk to is team manager Abu
Hanapah," said Yeo.
However, Mohamed Hidayat said: "I am very keen to promote the sport and
have been doing so for as long as I can remember. Right now, we need all
the help we can get to promote the sport."
Weightlifting, to be held on Sept 16-19, is a strong gold medal chance
for Malaysia but the only exposure the athletes have had is the
Commonwealth championship in Nauru in March.
Six weightlifters will represent Malaysia and the potential haul stands
at 18.
"It is boring training everyday at the same place. We need more
exposure, we need the challenge to lift more weights. Also, there is bound
to be culture shock for the national weightlifters when they actually meet
the foreign lifters during the Games," said Hidayat.
Hidayat is the Commonwealth record holder in the 69kg category. He
lifted 287.5kg at the Commonwealth, Oceania and South Pacific
championships in Nauru.
At the pre-Games championships, where the weightlifters competed among
themselves at the Mines Exhibition Centre, Hidayat lifted 160kg in the
clean and jerk to rewrite his national record of 157.5kg, which was
achieved at the Commonwealth championships in Nauru. It was 0.5kg less
than the record set by India's G. Vadivelu.
Their training area is a mere 10x10 metres, situated at the extreme
corner of the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil. And everytime the
lifters release the weights, there is a deafening sound.
"The sound of weights crashing has started to get on the nerves of the
lifters. We need a better venue that can mufle some of the noise," said
Hidayat.
The weightlifters also crave greater exposure before the Games. There
are plans to send them to Turkey to train in a club run by Naim `Pocket
Hercules' Suleymanoglu. But the National Sports Council have yet to decide
on the stint.
The squad: Mohamed Hidayat (69kg), Rahman Ahmad (56kg), Matin Guntali
(56kg), Edmond Yeo (85kg), Kamaruzaman Jusan (62kg).
(END)