Sea Games: Terry optimistic of bringing home first jet ski gold

KUALA LUMPUR - Terry Tee Chen Jet, gold medal winner at the 2015 Jet Ski World Cup in Thailand, is optimistic of making history by winning Malaysia's first jet ski gold at the Cambodia Sea Games, when the extreme sport is contested for the first time at the biennial games.

Terry, 30, who has experience competing in the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, said the national team's preparations for the Games this time are stronger with the support from the National Sports Institute (NSI).

"Preparations are going smoothly with training at Tasik Biru Kundang and at NSI which are very helpful. For jet skiing, the rider must be fit, besides mechanics and machinery also play a big role," he said when met by reporters at his training session.

Terry, the champion of the Pro-Am Runabout Open category at the 2015 World Cup in Thailand, admitted that riders from Thailand, Indonesia and hosts Cambodia, are the main contenders this time.

Terry, who will compete in the Runabout Stock and Runabout 1100 Stock categories, also said that the cost of participating is quite high, with the price of a jet ski costing approximately RM200,000, while the cost of maintenance and mechanics for a single competition can reach more than RM50.000,

Malaysia will also be represented by Izzah Athirah Ahmad Zuhairi in the Runabout 1100 Stock category, Norfirdaus Rafie (Endurance) and Muhammad Arife Rayhan Mohd Rasis (Ski GP). The jet ski competition is scheduled from May 13-16 in Sihanoukville, a resort town on the southwest coast of Cambodia.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Jet Ski Sports Association president Datuk Mohamed Saffian Omar said the delivery of jet skis, equipment and mechanics to Sihanoukville, will take four days by road from Kuala Lumpur.

"We plan to leave on May 5 from here, and arrive in Sihanoukville via Thailand. We go by road to save costs, but still have to spend thousands on shipping, equipment and fuel for training and competition.

"We have also bought new machinery this time, because during the 2018 Asian Games, we rented jet skis there, but the quality was not very good. We do not have sponsorship like other countries, we hope there is someone who can provide sponsorship," he said.

He is confident that the national squad will be able to bring home medals at this Games even though they will face stiff opposition, after returning empty-handed from the Asian Games. - BERNAMA