Sukma: Thurgashree Will Carry That Weight For Penang Despite Kidney Scare

By Siti Azila Alias

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Despite being plagued with uncertain health, Penang’s sole weightlifter T. Thurgashree stubbornly will not back down from her mission to grab a medal at the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA XXI) in Sarawak.

With about a week left before opening action on Aug 19, Thurgashree, 18, who will compete in the women’s category not exceeding 45 kilogrammes (kg), refuses to let illness defeat her, not to mention when she is the sole hope for Penang’s weightlifting fortune.

Recalling the dark spot in her burgeoning career, the youngest of the three siblings said she was suddenly taken ill by a viral attack on her kidneys last April when she was warded for 20 days.

“At first, I was really disappointed because I was aiming for a gold medal for SUKMA this time and I have been training for over a year when I suddenly fell sick. Before it was easy for me to lift 70 kg but then I felt weak with even 30 kg.

“However, I am grateful because the people around me all supported and encourage me to fight on, to do my best no matter what the circumstances,” she told Bernama when undergoing training at Wisma Angkat Bukit DO here.

Besides her father M. Thanabalasingam, who is also coach, sister Logassree, 23, who is also a former weightlifter and SUKMA 2016 gold medallist, is the most important inspiration in the revival of her career.

“The last time Penang won a gold medal for weightlifting was in 2016 and it was my sister who contributed, that’s why I want to fight this time to get the gold but in the current situation, I can only hope that on competition day, my best will be good enough for gold,” she said.

Meanwhile, Thanabalasingam was happy with the performance shown by his daughter even though she was still fighting pain but at the same time, he exuded confidence that the young athlete can pull off a surprise.

In terms of training, he said Thurgashree, who is on her third SUKMA mission in the biennial games after the editions in Perak and Kuala Lumpur, trains five days a week alternately since she is still in the recovery process and he refused to put too much pressure on her.

“What happened (the illness) slowed down her training a bit since she was warded for 20 days of treatment. In fact, I told her to retire but she obstinately longs to compete,” he sighed.

He said Thurgashree even found time for two tournaments after her hospital discharge by participating in the 2024 Zealfit Weightlifting Championship in Kuala Lumpur and the 2024 National Weightlifting Championship in Johor last June by winning respectively gold and silver.

Thanabalasingam also thanked the Penang State Sports Council (MSN) for overseeing his daughter’s health by providing the best medical experts in her follow-up treatment to ensure she is at optimum form.

In the meantime, the president of the Penang Weightlifting Association (PABPP) Mohd Faruk Abdul Rahman said they would still bear the cost of sending a sole competitor.

“We have back-up athletes who have not yet reached the criteria to go to SUKMA so we will hold back to ‘polish’ further for the next edition because weightlifting is different from other sports as it takes a long time to mature which is two to three years and athletes we are sending this time already have SUKMA experience," he said.

Based on the record of achievements at the 20th edition of SUKMA, the Penang weightlifting squad managed to bring home one silver and two bronze.

SUKMA XXI will open on Aug 17 with the weightlifting event scheduled from Aug 19-23 at the Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan Sports Hall near Betong, involving 300 athletes and officials.

A total of eight categories are contested in each of the men's and women's events according to the competition format set by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), in which the winner is only given one medal for the best overall Snatch and Clean-and-Jerk.

-- BERNAMA