BEIJING, Aug 12 (Bernama) - Wan Khalmizam Abd Aziz, the strongest of the three-man archery squad for the Olympics here, will have to overcome his own inexperience in tomorrow's individual championship even though he goes in as the fifth ranked.
He confessed that he was surprised by his own form here, shattering the national record over 72 arrows when he finished fifth in the rankings with a score of 674, and firing a 75 out of 80 in yesterday's team quarterfinals where Malaysia were beaten by eventual silver medallist, Italy.
Alongside Cheng Chu Sian and Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman, the team made their Olympics debut by smashing the national record with a new high of 1993 during the rankings contest, surpassing their own previous record of 1980 set last year.
"I have never shot like this. I hope I can continue to do my best and my target for tomorrow is 110," said the 21-year-old Universiti Putra Malaysia mass communications student from Kelantan, who took up the sport six years ago.
"But I have no experience in individual contests, all this while we were strong as a team. In yesterday's competition, I was too nervous and shivered in the arena," he said.
National coach Lee Jae Hyung had said Malaysia had only a slim chance in the individual because of the high-standard and it would be an achievement if any of the archers made the last 16 out of a field of 64 in the knockout competition decided over 12 arrows.
In the first round, Wan Khalmizam faces Alexandru Bodnar of Romania.
Chu Sian squares off against Mathew Gray of Australia while Muhd Marbawi Sulaiman will vie against Chen Szu Yuan of Taiwan
.-- BERNAMA
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