Pemain badminton Paralimpik negara, Hairul Fozi, mahu memastikan aksi cemerlang ditampilkan di pentas Sukan Paralimpik Tokyo 2020 buat kali pertama, apatah lagi dengan statusnya sebagai pemain beregu Paralimpik nombor satu dunia.
Selepas badminton tidak dipertandingkan dalam Sukan Paralimpik Rio 2016, Hairul menyifatkan ia adalah masa terbaik untuk membuktikan aksi kompetitif di pentas Paralimpik buat kali pertama di Tokyo 2020 bersama gandingannya, Cheah Liek Hou, bagi acara beregu lelaki SU5.
Situasi mereka sedikit mencabar apabila tidak menjalani latihan bersama kerana Cheah selaku pemenang pingat emas Kejohanan Dunia, Persekutuan Badminton Dunia (BWF) di England tahun lalu, berlatih secara bersendirian.
Namun, mereka tidak menganggap ia satu halangan besar kerana masih lagi mampu mempertahankan pingat emas Sukan Para ASEAN 2015 di Singapura.
"Kami berdua mampu bermain dengan baik. Dari segi keserasian, tak ada masalah besar sangat.
"Kami akan membuat persediaan jika berkesempatan berlatih bersama," katanya.
Meskipun masih bercuti sempena tahun baru, Fozi tetap menjalani latihan sendiri bersama pemain normal yang lain untuk menambah pengalaman.
"Latihan seperti ini mampu meningkatkan prestasi saya.
"Saya menimba pengalaman menerusi latihan bersama pemain badminton yang normal.
"Walaupun lagi tiga tahun Paralimpik Tokyo akan dilangsungkan, saya nak meningkatkan lagi sesi latihan saya."
Shaiful Shamsudin
Sat Dec 31 2016
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