IT took him a while to adapt to a lower weight category, but H. Sureeya Sankar is still aiming high in the SEA Games in Cambodia after working hard to get up to speed.
The national karate exponent, who won the gold in the men’s below 67kg event in Hanoi last year, will be competing in the below 60kg this time.
He didn’t get off to the best of starts after switching to the lower weight category, failing to get a medal in the South-East Asian Karate Federation (SEAKF) championships in Phnom Penh in March.
“I was really disappointed at not doing well in the SEAKF. I was still getting used to fighting in a lower weight category,” said Sureeya.
“I had switched category as most of my opponents in the 60kg event are shorter than me and this would make it easier for me to fight against them. However, I need to cope with the speed.
“There’s a lot of difference in terms of speed between the 67kg and 60kg events although it’s only one weight category lower.
“In the SEAKF, I hesitated a lot and couldn’t execute my strategies well.”
The 21-year-old believes he has improved a lot under the guidance of Egyptian coach Tamer Abdelraouf Mourssy and is hungry to make amends at the now.
“I’ve been training hard under my new coach for about two months and I’ve become faster,” said Sureeya.
“Before this, my kicks were faster than my punches but now my punches have also got better.
“I’ve also improved my technique, tactics and stamina. Hopefully, all these will help me to win gold again. I’ve prepared well mentally and physically.”
The competition will start for Sureeya tomorrow with the preliminary rounds at the Chroy Changvar Convention Centre.
