KUALA LUMPUR — The national karate squad will likely rely on local expertise for the SEA Games in Thailand next December.
The Malaysia Karate Federation (Makaf) confirmed that R. Sharmendran has been promoted to interim head coach of the national squad, following the departure of the previous coach, Tarek Abdelraouf Mourssy from Egypt.
Makaf Secretary General, Mohd Razlan Shah, said Sharmendran will temporarily lead the national squad until the federation finds a replacement for Mourssy.
However, Razlan did not rule out the possibility of Sharmendran continuing in the role if he excels over the coming months, potentially extending his tenure until the SEA Games in Thailand at the end of next year.
Previously serving as the national junior coach, Sharmendran will begin his new duties immediately, supported by S. Senthil Kumaran and L. Kunasilan, who will oversee the senior squad.
Meanwhile, Mohd Hatta Mahamut will take over Sharmendran’s responsibilities with the junior team.
“Perhaps we’ll evaluate his performance over the next six months. After that, we’ll decide. There’s a possibility he might continue the role until the SEA Games at the end of next year.
“We’ve worked with local coaches before, and Sharmendran has extensive experience as well as a Level Two coaching certification, so there’s no issue with him taking on the responsibility as the head coach of the national squad.
“As of now, there are no candidates for a permanent head coach. We’ll assess the needs and review this matter over the next three to six months.
“This year, we secured four gold medals at SEAKF (South East Asia Karate Federation), so we hope to achieve even more. We want to see how Sharmendran progresses in shaping the team,” said Razlan after attending the Working Committee Meeting with the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil today.
During his stellar career as an athlete, Sharmendran achieved remarkable success by defending the gold medal in the 75-kilogram kumite event for four consecutive SEA Games, from Kuala Lumpur 2017 to Cambodia 2023.
However, his role as a coach in Thailand 2025 presents a new challenge, especially as the national karate squad has consistently been a standout performer for Malaysia contigent, regularly meeting or surpassing their gold medal targets.
For instance, at last year’s SEA Games in Cambodia, Makaf initially aimed for three gold medals but surpassed expectations with an impressive tally of four golds, two silvers, and four bronzes.
“Even now, if we look at his performance, he has done well in guiding the junior athletes. Now, we want to evaluate his ability to manage the senior squad,” he added. – December 10, 2024