Nervousness Not Stopping Thevendran From Contributing Gold For Malaysia

MALANG (Indonesia), July 6 (Bernama) -- Despite feeling nervous, Malaysian national karate athlete K.S. Thevendran performed well to contribute a gold medal for Malaysia after winning his kumite event at the ASEAN University Games (AUG) 2024 here yesterday.

In the final held at the Islamic University of Malang Convention Centre, Thevendran secured Malaysia's 36th gold medal after defeating Thailand's Chanpet Setthapong with a score of 4-3 in the men's kumite Under-55 kilogrammes (-55kg) category.

"In the final, I felt very pressured and mentally unprepared. I was relieved when my teammates gave me confidence and energised me to perform.

"Honestly, I often panic in every tournament I participate in. I also felt my legs trembling, but once the first bout started, it got better," he told reporters afterwards.

Thevendran described the gold he won at the AUG this time as a motivating factor as he represents Johor in the upcoming Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2024 in Sarawak (a state in Malaysia) next month.

"This gold medal can be a motivation boost for me at the SUKMA. After this, I will return home and train harder in preparation for SUKMA and the Southeast Asia Karate Federation (SEAKF) Championship," said Thevendran.
-- BERNAMA