Weightlifting should be reinstated in list of national core sports — Amirul

SEPANG: National weightlifting squad manager for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia, Amirul Hamizan Ibrahim, urged the National Sports Council (NSC) to reinstate the sport in the list of national core sports.

He said if the sport was not reinstated, it would be a loss for the country, and feared that all development programmes carried out in the states would be in vain.

“If we look at what have been achieved by weightlifting athletes (in Gold Coast) this time, it is indeed a must to re-include (it in the list), because we have many effective development programmes throughout the country.

“On behalf of the athletes and everyone involved in the sport of weightlifting in the country, we hope it will be re-listed,” he told reporters after arriving at KLIA2 here early yesterday morning, after representing the country at the Games.

National weightlifter Azroy Hazal Wafie Izhar Ahmad created history when he became the first Malaysian to pick up a gold medal in the 56kg category with a lift total of 261kg, while Muhamad Aznil Bidin added the second gold for the country in the 62kg category, lifting a total of 288kg.

The sport was dropped from the national core sports by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and the NSC’s Board of Directors following cases of substance abuse.

Azroy Hazal, when met by the media, said the recent success at the Commonwealth Games was just the beginning, and he would continue his good form at the Asian Games in Jakarta this August.

“I want to break the national record held by manager Amirul for the 56kg category, which is 265kg, at the Asian Games ... so I’ll try to lift (a total of) 266kg in Jakarta,” he said.

The Pahang-born athlete said he was eager to perform well at the Asian Games as it would also be a platform for him to accumulate points to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“I want to qualify for the Olympics on merit, so the Asian Games will be the best chance for me to accumulate points, as well as the World Championships in November,” he said.

Apart from Azroy Hazal and Mohamad Aznil, the weightlifting squad also picked up a bronze medal through Mohamad Fazrul Azrie Mohdad, who competed in the 85kg category.

For the record, the best performance of the weightlifting squad was in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, where the team won two gold, one silver and two bronze.