25 July 2002 hingga 31 July 2002
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Silat Kebangsaan dan Jemputan Antarabangsa KL 2002 25 July 2002 hingga 31 July 2002 |
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Posted on: 9th July 2003
It's been a while since I updated my website. Been very busy with sports, work, volunteer work, etc. I finally got some free time to update my website. This page is in the 'Experiences' Section. I'll have to update the 'Fighting' Section as well with more new materials. Hope there's enough time to do that.
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I was selected to go to the Malaysian Open Silat Championships 2002. I was quite out of shape and overweight for quite some time, but I managed to shape up before going to Malaysia. They wouldn't let me represent Singapore if I wasn't in good shape. You wouldn't believe the dieting that I have to do, like starving myself for 2 days in a row. Anyway, I made the weight before going to Malaysia, so off I go on that night on a Coach (Tourist bus). I took the Catergory 'I' (85-90 kg) Most of the athletes in the Singapore Squad were new people. One of them was Taufik Jasni. He was just a toddler when I first saw him at PA in 1995. Now he's representing Singapore as a silat fighter. How time flies. Reminded me that I'm already 33 yrs old, and that younger people were entering the Silat arena. Most of the people I knew the last time I was in the National team were already retired. The few that were still around were like Kadir, Khairul, and not many more. Wonder why Yusri (Pancasakti) hadn't returned to the Team yet. I figured he would. Arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KL)
We arrived in KL on the 24th July 2002. Nothing much happened. We alighted at a certain 'Olimpik Hotel'. That's where we stayed for the rest of our days in KL. It's quite a nice place really. There seemed to be some problems with accomodation, cause I had to share a room, which are meant to be for 3 people, with another 6people.
Anyway, I don't know about the rest of the guys, but I enjoyed my stay with them. I felt a camaraderie that I haven't felt for quite some time. I have been in Silat National squads many a times overseas (before going to Staffordshire), and not all of them do I feel that team spirit. Quite often I felt many egos run amok, but that's a different story. Anyway, we get settled in and was given standing orders.We were supposed to have meetings in the coaches' room every day after the competition for the day ends. I guess our team spirit (or room spirit) got carried away because the 6 of us tend to arrive late together, heheheh. We have to travel to the competition venue using the train (something like MRT over here in Singapore). Come to think of it, it is much better to travel using trains than using buses or cars. KL is very busy indeed. Travelling by train is much more convenient.
Pre-Competiton As usual, there is a pre-competition ritual that we all perform before the competiton proper gets underway. We were screened by medical teams that the organisers provided, and our weight were checked. Syed Abdillah (Class 'J') have problems with his weight, so he was instructed to run for a while to lose some fluids. So there he went, running around the building, trying to reduce his weight. Syed Abdillah was representing Singapore for the first time, so I figured he forgot to check his weight before coming here. Experienced athletes would always make sure that they can make the weight before leaving Singapore. They would know that it is not wise to have to think about weight problems a few days before competing.
Competition Day
Not much of an opening, although the closing was grand. The competition get underway without much a due, and soon everybody was busy with the competition and all. Because of the number of teams, we each had to fight at least 4 times before we get to touch the Gold medal, so that means we each have to fight once a day.
On the first day itself, half of the sparring squad lost to the various teams from the states of Malaysia. On the next day, half of the members that made through the day before got their butts kicked. So when the semi-finals came, only 3 of the sparring squad were still on the game. That would be Saedah, Khairul, and me. None of us reached the finals; GAME OVER. : ( For the 'Seni' side, our 'Jurus Wajib' group won the Gold. Hooray! At least it's not a total lost. : )
The Squad Please forgive me if I didn't write about any individual in the Singapore Squad other than myself. There's over 20 people in the squad, so that's quite a tedious thing to do. Anyway, I was busy with my own competition to worry about anybody else. This competition thing, it's very physical, mental, even emotional.
On the whole, the National Squad was very good in terms of performance and ability. Unfortunately, the competition from the malay states are even better. Most of the hopefuls of our squad got trashed very early in the competition. I was surprised when Taufik was overwhelmed by his opponent from Pahang (no offence intended, Taufik). Faizal didn't do well either, and I was really hoping that he would win. In fact, I was very surprised at the level of quality of the silat fighters from the malay states. It was so different from the ones in Sarawak in 1996. They were simply much more better now.
At the end of the competition, the Silat National Squad brought back 3 bronze medals from the sparring categories and one gold medal from the 'Wiraloka Jurus Wajib' category. My own Contest My first opponent was a young man from Pulau Pinang. I didn't have any trouble overwhelming him. At first I wasn't sure of what to do, but upon scrutinising his technique, I realised that all I have to do was to jam is side kick and punch is arm, follow up with a side kick, and then disengage. He seemed unable to find an answer to my tactic, showing clearly his lack of experience. I won 5-0.
My next encounter was with a guy from Kelantan. There was some problems before the fight. The organisers got my name wrong, and the team manager (Mr. Yusuf (Sekilas)) had to sort things out before my fight can begin. I guessed I was a little spooked before the fight, because of the waiting and all. That's why I didn't do too well. 'When in doubt, use side kick'; that's my motto, and I was in doubt then. Unfortunately, the Kelantan guy saw it coming, and he was able to counter and retaliate. I lost a lot of points in round 1 and 2, and was close to defeat. Fortunately, the coach (Ramli Awi (STA)), was able to guide me well enough, giving me ideas to counter the Kelantan guy. I managed to score points several times, and I guessed I scored enough points to win. I won the match 3-2, a very close call.
I am now in the semi-finals, and my spirits were high. My next opponent was Faizal Omar of Melaka, the reigning SEA Games and World Champion. He had a very good advantage over me. HE IS VERY TALL. I mean, VERY TALL. Believe it or not, that's the only advantage that he has over me, and he put it to good use. Suddenly, my spirits were not so high. Against tall people I tend to get in close, but he saw that coming and make every attempt to hit me from a distance and disengage before I can do anything. I managed to get in close a number of times, but it wasn't enough to allow me to gain points to defeat him. I was very frustrated and not knowing what to do. Faizal was very careful not to make a mistake, like charging towards me or anything like that. He waited for me to come to him. Smart. It's a good thing I didn't encounter him before the semi-finals, or else I wouldn't bring back any medal at all. Alas, I lost 0-5. : (
Final Curtains We reached Singapore on Thursday 1st August 2002 early in the evening. There were people busy with the First Asia Pacific Silat Championships that was about to take place. I didn't think many people noticed me there. After receiving further instructions as to the next training date, I went home. This was the last time I took part in an overseas competition representing Singapore. Even before leaving Olimpik hotel, Abg Ramli had mentioned to me (and to the whole squad for that matter) that there were some people in PERSISI who were unhappy with me being allowed to go compete in KL. And true enough, I was not allowed to compete for a place in the National Squad going to the World Championships in December the same year.
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