KUALA LUMPUR – National recurve archer S. Suresh has expressed that he hopes the National Sports Council (NSC) will provide him with better bow equipment for his quest in this year’s Paris Paralympics.
The 31-year-old former world champion is one of three para archers – Nur Jannaton Abd Jalil and G. Daneshen – who qualified for the multisport event.
Making his second consecutive appearance in the Paralympics after the 2020 edition in Tokyo, Suresh guaranteed his spot in Paris by winning a gold medal in last year’s Asian Para Archery Championship in Bangkok.
Speaking to Scoop, Suresh stated his goal of achieving a podium finish in Paris using “Wiawis” equipment, which he requested from NSC after facing setbacks with the “Hoyt” brand provided in the 2020 edition.
South Korean-based Wiawis is one of the world’s top two bow manufacturers, along with Hoyt Archery of the American-based Easton Group.
“Honestly, I feel really happy to qualify for my second Paralympics in a row. I’m excited and scared at the same time.
“This is because, in Tokyo, I couldn’t give my best due to the problem that I had with my equipment.
“The equipment (Hoyt Formula XI) provided by NSC was not really of good quality. It started breaking apart when I tested it four to five days before the tournament. I had no choice but to use whatever I had, and I ended up using a few of my semi-pro-level equipment.
“It was really tough because I was at a disadvantage compared to my competitors, who used more advanced equipment which could withstand the weather conditions in Tokyo.
“I hope the new equipment I’ve requested from NSC will be of good quality and arrive early so that I can train with it before the games. I believe that they will provide me with the best,” said Suresh when contacted.
In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Suresh was eliminated after losing 6-2 to Russia’s Bato Tsydendorzhiev in the 1/16 elimination round.
He was named the National Paralympic Sportsman in 2022 after his historic feat in the 2019 World Archery Championships in ’s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.
The last Malaysian athlete to win a medal at the world tournament was the late Salam Sidek, who took home a bronze medal in the 2011 edition in Turin, Italy.
This year’s Paralympics are scheduled to take place from August 28 to September 8. – April 22, 2024