From Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif
GLASGOW, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- For Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games judo gold medallist Amir Daniel Abdul Majeed, Md Nashriq Md Nassir is more than just the coach who taught him to compete on the tatami — he is the mentor who has shaped his discipline and future since childhood.
Amir Daniel said his coach has guided him since he was five years old and understands every aspect of his character, as well as the challenges and difficulties he has faced throughout their nearly 17 years together.
"Nashriq has been with me since I was a child, from the age of five until now. He has seen every attitude and every problem I have gone through.
"He has not only motivated me in sports, but also in academics. He wants us to excel in both," the athlete who delivered Malaysia's first-ever Commonwealth Games judo gold medal told Bernama.
The 21-year-old Penang-born athlete said Md Nashriq set academic targets for him at every stage of his education, from Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), before allowing him to continue with judo training.
The strict approach continued when Amir Daniel entered university, where he was required to maintain good academic results.
"If he says I can't come to training, I would be afraid. So I studied really hard. Only after getting my results would I show them to him," said the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) student.
Amir Daniel said his coach's firmness stemmed from the belief that an athlete's career would not last forever and that every athlete should be prepared for life after retirement from sport.
"After judo, what do we want to do? So he makes sure we have an 'airbag' or a safety net for the future," said the youngest of two siblings, who dreams of representing Malaysia at the Olympic Games.
Amir Daniel made history by defeating South Africa's Timothy Meuwsen with a waza-ari in the men's under-81kg final at the Scottish Event Campus yesterday (Aug 1).
The victory earned Malaysia its eighth gold medal of the Games and made Amir Daniel the country's first judoka to win Commonwealth Games gold.
At the Birmingham 2022 edition, Amir Daniel won bronze in the men's under-73kg category.
Meanwhile, Md Nashriq described Amir Daniel as an athlete with tremendous fighting spirit who never gives up and always carries out instructions without complaint.
"His greatest strength is that he works hard. If he wants something, he will do whatever it takes to achieve it.
"He never gives up easily, listens to advice and follows instructions. Whatever I ask him to do, he does it without ever complaining. He is also constantly improving. That is his strength — he never stops striving," said the former national judoka.
Md Nashriq said the success in Glasgow was the result of about six months of meticulous planning with the national association and the National Sports Council (NSC), despite Amir Daniel's preparations being disrupted by an injury suffered in February.
The 2003 national junior champion said Amir Daniel took about three months to recover before undergoing a month-long training camp in Mongolia, followed by participation in several tournaments in China as part of his Commonwealth Games preparations.
Despite his efforts to help Amir Daniel reach greater heights, the 41-year-old Penang-born coach admitted that qualifying his athlete for the Olympic Games is a deeply personal mission, after his own dream of competing at the world's biggest sporting event was dashed by a serious knee injury.
"I wanted to go to the Olympics, but it never happened. So now I want to help someone else get there. I will do my best to be the coach who can take him (Amir Daniel) to the Olympics," said the former athlete who represented Malaysia at the 2005 SEA Games.
-- BERNAMA