For karate exponent R. Sharmendran, the Olympic qualifiers in Paris on June 11-13 is a “now or never” opportunity.
The sport, making its debut in the Tokyo Olympics in July, has been dropped from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Sharmendran, 29, and fellow Sea Games gold medallists S. Prem Kumar and P. Madhuri are Malaysia’s best bet for qualification but they must finish on the podium at the Paris qualifiers.
“This is the first time that karate is in the Olympics, and will most probably be the last.”But having said that, we do not really have any pressure because we know the qualifying competition is going to be very tough,” he said.
The trio will be heading to Kazakhstan for a month-long training-cum-competition stint.
“We will be going to Kazakhstan after receiving our second dose of Covid vaccine (next month).
“The reason we have chosen Kazakhstan is that they have many good exponents that we can spar with.”-NST