Being visually impaired has not discouraged Faiq Adnan, 23, from realising his ardent desire to swim across the Penang Strait on May 19 and set a personal record.
The Penang paralympic athlete who has been active in the sport since aged nine, said the desire was fired by his participation in a 100-hour relay swimming challenge in 2008 organised by the Bukit Mertajam Swimming Club.
"After completing the challenge I felt confident that I could go a longer distance and that drove my enthusiasm to try the sea other than just swimming in the pool," he told reporters here Sunday.
Faiq, a second year Malay Literature student at the University of Malaya, said the encouragement he received from his coach Datuk Ooi Win Juat, and family members kept his spirits up, to relentlessly train four times a week for three to four hours at a time.
Faiq, who would be accompanied by his coach in the attempt, hopes to complete it in one to two hours.
Meanwhile, Penang Disabled Persons Recreational Sports Association (Pesron) chairman, Associate Prof Dr Tiun Ling Ta urged Penangites to come out in force to cheer Faiq, saying: "He may not be a fast swimmer but he has great stamina and enthusiasm. I believe with our support he can do it."
The Penang paralympic athlete who has been active in the sport since aged nine, said the desire was fired by his participation in a 100-hour relay swimming challenge in 2008 organised by the Bukit Mertajam Swimming Club.
"After completing the challenge I felt confident that I could go a longer distance and that drove my enthusiasm to try the sea other than just swimming in the pool," he told reporters here Sunday.
Faiq, a second year Malay Literature student at the University of Malaya, said the encouragement he received from his coach Datuk Ooi Win Juat, and family members kept his spirits up, to relentlessly train four times a week for three to four hours at a time.
Faiq, who would be accompanied by his coach in the attempt, hopes to complete it in one to two hours.
Meanwhile, Penang Disabled Persons Recreational Sports Association (Pesron) chairman, Associate Prof Dr Tiun Ling Ta urged Penangites to come out in force to cheer Faiq, saying: "He may not be a fast swimmer but he has great stamina and enthusiasm. I believe with our support he can do it."
