It’s easy to forget the bigger picture.
Things were never easy for our Paralympic heroes, all of whom made us immensely proud in Rio de Janeiro and that’s precisely why they deserved every single bit of attention and plaudit that’s coming their way.
We didn’t care when people called the celebrations excessive. Because they didn’t merely win gold medals and break world records – they changed the way we look at people with disabilities. That’s a HUGE victory and it deserves to be celebrated.
But deep inside, there was always a concern. How would this affect their motivation to improve? It’s precisely why YB Khairy Jamaluddin – who has been a source of strength for these athletes – provided a subtle reminder earlier this week. “Manage your success and don’t let it get to your head,” he said.
However, it appears that our heroes are not ready to stop just yet. It’s barely been a month since he broke the world record three times in Rio, but high-jumper Latiff Romly is already eyeing to make history in Tokyo, four years from now.
His Instagram bio clearly suggests that Latif is already looking forward to Tokyo 2020, and is determined to beat his current world record of 7.60m. That’s incredible motivation for someone who just broke the world record thrice, won a Paralympic gold medal, and received RM1 million as a reward for his feat!
In fact, he recently spoke about his desire of beating the national record for able-bodied long-jump, which was set by Josbert Tinus back in 2007 – 7.88m. “I don’t think it’s impossible to break the national record. I’ve been working hard, and I will continue to work hard. Give me two years, and I’ll try to break it,” he enthused.
That’s how you make it big in sports. When others continue to whine, interfere and drag our sporting scene and athletes into the doldrums, it’s individuals like these that give us hope.
Latif Romly, don’t stop chasing your dreams. Malaysia stands behind you!
Other posts by FO Newsdesk
