It’s Money Well-spent After All As Arun Raj Lands Taekwondo Gold

By Farah Najihah Zuraimi

KUCHING, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- It looks like all that hard work and huge sums of money spent to get ready for the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) have paid off for Terengganu taekwondo exponent Arun Raj Ram Bharat.

The 19-year-old defeated Low Zhan Feng of Federal Territories (FT) 2-0 in the men’s below 74-kilogramme (kg) category to be the third taekwondo exponent to deliver gold for the Terengganu contingent. Perak’s Ri Ky Chong and Negeri Sembilan’s T. Jeevithan shared the bronze.

But it sure has been a long and winding road for Arun Raj as he lives in Shah Alam, Selangor but travels to a training centre in Klang about five times a week, resulting in him spending about RM200 a month on transport alone.

“I faced many challenges but the one I (remember the most) is the transport problem. It was so difficult to go for training (because) I had to go by Grab and my dad would pick me up after training. Yes (my own money), but my father chips in to help out at times.

“For the first and second phases (of training), I travelled from Shah Alam to Klang from October until December last year. For the third phase early this year, I went to Terengganu and when it got closer to SUKMA, I trained at the National Sports Council as I am now under the taekwondo talent programme,” he told Bernama today.

Asked how he became involved in the sport, Arun Raj said his family encouraged him to take up taekwondo when he was 10 so that he would be strong in facing challenges. 

“I’ve been injured many times but I never gave up because everytime I fall, I get up and go again. (Yesterday) my parents told me to just do my best,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the women’s below 62kg category, FT’s Nur Izzati Najwa Mohd Zaki had to work hard to beat Terengganu’s Sara Nur Ibtisam Safawi 2-1 for the gold medal.

Perak’s Wannur Syifa Mohd Riduan and Johor’s Masturina Mahadzir shared the bronze.

-- BERNAMA