Khalel to make his SEA Games bow in Laos at age 32

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Khalel Abdullah is proof that it is never too late to start to excel in precision shooting.

The Malacca-born Khalel started to get involved in rapid fire pistol shooting only four years ago but his determination to excel has paid off as he has earned a place in the squad for the Laos SEA Games in December.

At 32-year-old, Khalel is the oldest shooter to be picked for the squad bound for Laos but he will play an important role.

How he fares in his first major assignment will determine whether Malaysia will successfully defend the team gold medal in rapid fire pistol event.

Tough assignment: Khalel Abdullah will be out to help Malaysia defend the gold medal in the rapid fire pistol event

At the last SEA Games in Korat two years ago, Malaysia won the team gold through Beijing Olympian Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan, Hafiz Adzha and Ridhuan Abdullah.

Khalel is hoping to complement Hasli and Hafiz in helping Malaysia make a successful defence of the team gold medal come December.

“I am the newest member in the shooting squad. Hasli and Izwan are certainly more experienced when it comes to rapid fire pistol. But I hope to prove that I am worthy of my place in the team.

“I may be making my debut in SEA Games but I do not want to be remembered as the one who let the team down,” said Khalel, who beat the SEA Games silver medal qualifying mark at the Mini Olympic Games at the Subang Shooting Range last month,

Khalel, who is among the four debutants in the Malaysian shooting squad, has certainly come a long way since he started to get used to holding a firearm in his hands after he joined the Armed Forces.

“I started with side-arms and I managed to do well after I entered competitions.

“But my superior officer saw my talent and felt it would be put to better use if I start to focus in precision sport shooting. He felt I would have a better future,” he added.

The National Shooting Association of Malaysia will send 14 shooters for the Laos SEA Games and will be hoping to return with at least four gold medals this time.

Malaysia will be competing in 10 out of the 17 disciplines in the SEA Games, making up a total of 34 gold medals at stake.

For the record, Malaysia won two gold medals in Korat.

The other gold came from the women’s 50m rifle three-position team.