Yatim has started training at high altitude in preparation for The Championship race in Slovakia, which has now been rescheduled to August 29.
KOTA KINABALU: Training continues for Yatim Zainal Abidin despite being faced with yet another delay to the start of the Challenge Family’s The Championship race in Samorin, Slovakia.
The iconic world-class triathlon event, which had already been postponed twice from last year before it was set for May 23 this year, has now been rescheduled to August 29.
Yatim was notified of the latest postponement via an email from the race director Melisa Kubalcova recently, citing the decision was made due to Covid-19 measures that are still in place and the accompanying travel restrictions that the athletes from around the world need to deal with.
“It’s certainly not the best of news but I have to accept it.
“All this while I’ve based my preparation for the race (on May 23) but now I have to make some adjustments to my training programmes.
Yatim is focussed in his training in preparation for The Championship race in Slovakia.
“I will have just to continue with my training and hope that I will be at my peak form for the race in August and no more postponement,” said the seasoned triathlete here on Thursday.
Having said that, Yatim revealed he has started training at high altitudes in order to enhance his performance.
“I’m satisfied with my progress with training conducted around the City. I’m more than 70 per cent ready and I’m happy with my condition.
“During a personal trial race, I’m able to do 90km cycling in less than three hours, run 21km in under two hours and complete the swim leg in less than 40 minutes.
“However, I want to take my training to the next level and I’ve started doing my preparation at high altitudes in Kundasang…may be three to four days in a week.
“Hopefully it will enhance my performance. Apart from that, it will help me to get use to the weather and environment in Slovakia which has some similarity,” he added.
In Samorin, Yatim will compete in the Middle Distance (individual – age group) race featuring swimming 1.9km, bike (90km) and run (21.1km).
He will race in the 45-year-old and above category despite having originally qualified for the 40-44 years age group event after his fourth-placed finish in the Challenge Iskandar Puteri in Johor in November 2019.
“When the race starts in August, I will be one-year older and it is only right that I race in an older age-group.
“Nothing has changed though. It has always been a dream of mine to race in a world class event…I will give my best,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yatim expressed gratitude to the Youth and Sports Ministry as well as Sabah Sports Council for approving the special allocation to aid his preparation to face The Championship.
“I’m very thankful to the ministry and MSN Sabah (Sabah Sports Council) for their fullest support. It (special allocation) will certainly help me in many ways in preparation for the race,” he said.
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