Kuala Lumpur: National para swimmer Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli is beginning to adapt to the training methods of head coach Fumiyo Minemura following the 29-year-old’s re-emergence in the pool after the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, although Nur Syaiful initially found it challenging to adjust to Minemura’s training regime when the coach took charge last October, he now feels more comfortable with the program. Minemura, a Japanese coach, emphasizes endurance, which requires Nur Syaiful to swim longer distances to test his mental strength.

“Previously, under coach Li Xin Xin of China, the focus was more on speed and my strokes, but this Japanese coach takes a different approach during our training sessions,” explained Nur Syaiful. He added that the more he trains under Minemura, the more comfortable he feels. Nur Syaiful is the 100-metre breaststroke SB4 (physical impairment) gold medalist at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games.

The Sarawak swimmer is hopeful that Minemura’s training will yield positive results at the Para Swimming World Series 2025 in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan, scheduled for April 10-12. This will be his first competition since the 2024 Paralympics. He plans to compete in four events: the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle, as well as the 100m breaststroke.

Nur Syaiful admits to having high hopes of reaching the podium for the first time in the Para Swimming World Series, particularly in the 100m breaststroke event, as the freestyle events are expected to be fiercely contested. He noted that most competitors in the S5 freestyle events rely on strong leg strength, whereas he depends solely on his upper body due to a disability in his legs, resulting from an accident at the age of 17.

The outing in Japan is also seen as crucial preparation for the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore from September 21-27. Although Nur Syaiful qualified for three finals during his second Paralympics appearance in Paris 2024, he returned home without medals.