KUALA LUMPUR – Former national karate exponent R. Sharmendran has accepted the Malaysia Karate Federation’s (Makaf) offer to become the head of the national development squad.
The 32-year-old, considered the most successful Malaysian karateka with four SEA Games gold medals under his belt, has been rewarded with a two-year contract.
The governing body has entrusted him with the challenging task of assembling a young, formidable side for the 2027 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Sharmendran clinched four gold medals for Malaysia in the men’s Kumite below-75kg category in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur, 2019 Manila, 2022 Hanoi, and 2023 Phnom Penh SEA Games.
Having undergone six anterior cruciate ligament surgeries over nine years, Sharmendran was forced to retire from the sport last year.
“As we all know, our national squad is ageing, and my main goal for the next two years is to produce as many young athletes for our national team as possible,” said Sharmendran.
“I’m going to work closely with former national captain Hatta Mahamut, and we are in the process of forming a young squad for the SEA Games. Many of the senior players will be retiring soon, and we need to fill the gap as soon as possible.
“Using this young team, I’m going to ensure that they win as many gold medals in the SEA Games as possible, as we will be playing in front of our home crowd. We don’t want to disappoint our fans.
“I thank Makaf president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad for the opportunity given, and I’m ready to make full use of the responsibility given to me. I need to ensure that I fulfil his directions and reach our goals,” said Sharmendran when contacted by Scoop.
Sharmendran acknowledged the challenging task of managing the younger generation and plans to design a training system to elevate the players in the upcoming Southeast Asian Karate Championship scheduled to take place next month in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Dealing with the current generation is going to be slightly hard due to the mindset they have and their inclination towards gadgets. I’m not saying that I’m going to dictate or torture them, but I will approach them with a more dynamic and friendly training system so I can establish a strong bond with the players.
“Even though the offer was only for two years, it doesn’t bother me. It’s not about the income; what matters most is that I give back whatever I have learned in my life through this sport to the youth. These are my people, and I need to give back.
“The president has not set any major KPIs for me, but I don’t want to take things for granted.
“I have already begun the selection process with 39 athletes (male and female), and we are scouting for more talent across the country,” Sharmendran added.
Aside from the SEA Games, karate has been one of the main medal prospects for Malaysia at the Asian Games.
Malaysia has won a total of 31 karate medals in the Asian Games, comprising eight golds, seven silvers, and 16 bronzes, placing the nation fourth in the all-time medal standings. – March 4, 2024