Nur Syaiful Getting The Hang Of Coach Minemura's Training Regime

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- National para swimmer Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli is beginning to adapt to the training methods of head coach Fumiyo Minemura following the 29-year-old's re-emergence in the pool after the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Although he found it tough to adapt to Minemura's training regime when the coach took charge last October, Nur Syaiful said he is now more comfortable with the training programme drawn up by the Japanese coach, who focuses a lot on endurance.

"Previously, under coach Li Xin Xin of China, the focus was more on speed and my strokes but this Japanese coach takes a different approach during our training sessions.

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"She emphasises the aspect of endurance, meaning I have to swim longer distances to test my mental strength. However, the more I've been training under her, the more comfortable I feel,” said the 100-metre (m) breaststroke SB4 (physical impairment) gold medallist at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games when contacted by Bernama.

Nur Syaiful, also a two-time bronze medallist in the men's 50m freestyle S5 (physical impairment) at the World Para Swimming Championships in London 2019 and Madeira 2022, hopes that Minemura's training will help him produce a positive result in his first outing since the 2024 Paralympics - the Para Swimming World Series 2025 in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan from April 10-12.

He expects to compete in four events at the Para Swimming World Series - the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle as well as the 100m breaststroke.

As such, the Sarawak swimmer admits to having high hopes of getting on the podium for the first time in the Para Swimming World Series, especially in the 100m breaststroke event since the other three freestyle events are expected to be hotly contested.

"Most of the para swimmers who have strong leg strength will be competing in the three S5 freestyle events that I will be competing in,” said Nur Syaiful, who relies solely on his upper body due to a disability in his legs that left him partially paralysed after an accident at the age of 17

Nur Syaiful also feels that the outing in Japan will help in his preparation for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore from Sept 21-27.

For the record, Nur Syaiful qualified for three finals in his second Paralympics appearance in Paris 2024 but returned home empty-handed.

-- BERNAMA