SELANGOR: Thinking of his family helped Vicky Ran Jeffrey stay focused under pressure as the Lawas-born archer fought back from fourth place to claim silver at Para SUKMA XXII Selangor 2026.
The 28-year-old, making his Para SUKMA debut, produced a memorable performance in the men’s Individual 70m Round Recurve PI2 event to secure the silver medal for Sarawak.
Vicky said the thought of his mother, relatives, coaches, team officials and fellow Sarawak contingent members kept him motivated as the competition became increasingly challenging.
“During the competition, I only thought about my family, my mother who has supported me from the beginning, my cousins and everyone in my family.
“I also thought about my coach, who has sacrificed his time to train me, as well as the team manager and the Sarawak team who have given me great support,” he said after the medal presentation ceremony here today.
Vicky admitted that his fourth-place position early in the competition could have added to the pressure, but he chose to remain focused and give his best until the end.
His persistence eventually paid off as he managed to overtake his rivals and move into second place to secure the silver medal.
“I am very excited and did not expect this because I was initially in fourth place. At the same time, I just tried my best and did not expect that I could overtake the others and finish second,” he said.
For Vicky, the silver medal was more than just a personal achievement, as he regarded it as a reward for the support and sacrifices made by his family and coaching team throughout his preparation for the Games.
Despite the achievement, Vicky said he was not satisfied with his performance and believed he could do better in future competitions.
“Honestly, I am still not satisfied with what I achieved and I believe I can do better. Moving forward, I will work even harder,” he said.
