KUCHING: Terengganu champion archer Saiful Islam Mohd Rizuwan has a simple recipe to success - eat fish and carrots almost every day.
Not fish and chips, but yes, fish and carrots.
Saiful, who won the men's 70-metre recurve gold at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) today in Kuching, said he has been on fish and carrots since taking up archery at the age of eight.
The eldest of six siblings, he believes that consuming fish and carrots helps him to sharpen his vision and stay focused.
"I eat fish every day, and if I don't have it, something feels off. As for carrots, I must eat them at least three times a week," said Saiful who was introduced to archery by his cousin.
"Archery is a lot of fun, but it requires focus and consistency to achieve the best results," said the Universiti Teknologi Mara student.
It was a close fight for the gold medal, though, for Saiful in the men's 70m recurve. He and Haiqal Danish Syamsul Affandi of Pahang shot the same score of 656 points but the Terengganu archer was adjudged as the winner. Sarawak's Liew Yu Jie won bronze despite leading the competition by one point in the first set.
Saiful, who aspires to be a teacher, added: "I make it a point to call my mother and father before every competition. I need their prayers and blessings to achieve positive results."