KUALA LUMPUR: A 10-year-old boy who emerged as the champion in the 2023 Malaysian Association For The Blind (MAB) Goalball League aspires to become a national goalball player.
The young boy, Akif Wirdani, was an integral part of the championship-winning team, 'KL City Boys,' which included national-level players.
Some of them were his family members, namely his two uncles, who participated in today's match.
Despite being visually challenged, Akif expressed immense happiness and excitement about participating in a tournament for the first time alongside adult players, who were significantly larger, more experienced, and stronger.
Nevertheless, the boy exhibited remarkable bravery during the final match, earning praise for his courage and skills, particularly given his young age.
Haiqal Azani Azman, 30, Akif's uncle, said both Akif's parents were former goalball players but have since retired.
He mentioned that Akif, the youngest player in today's league, began his goalball journey at seven in Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas Alma, Penang, where other visually impaired family members also attended, including himself.
He also highlighted that there has been a shortage of substitutes and young players due to the absence of school tournaments following the Movement Control Order (MCO).
"When I was in school, we'd have one or two national tournaments to compete between states every year. But now, that's gone, so we lack substitutes.
"So, we started with young ones like him (Akif), ten years old. We'll find substitutes for the future. That's what we thought about replacing him with our player Hasmawi, who was supposed to be here today but couldn't make it. He's from Penang.
"Then we thought, why don't we bring a new substitute? So that perhaps, in ten years, he can replace us when we're old," said Haiqal when interviewed with an NST reporter at the Ismail Salleh Hall, MAB.
When questioned about Haiqal's perspective on his nephew's potential, he recounted that during the semifinal, Akif demonstrated exceptional skills by not missing a single ball and consistently catching every throw.
"During our training sessions, Akif attentively listened and diligently followed our instructions. However, he missed once with his hands in the final match and was struck hard in the face.
"Despite this, he managed to shield a part of his face, avoiding severe injury. Perhaps this time, his reflexes were a bit slow in protecting his face when the ball approached. It's common here; we're accustomed to such incidents.
"But when we inquired if the impact would deter him from continuing to play, he expressed his determination to keep playing. I believe this shows a remarkably positive attitude, indicating that pain doesn't hinder his commitment," Haiqal proudly remarked about his beloved nephew.
