“Three or four time a week, I go cycling with my friends”, said Zul, a 24 year old athlete from Sabah.
Zulkarnian bin Mohd Riduan is considred a 'veteran' athlete since he joined the Special Olympics movement when he was 8 years old, undergoing training in several sports over the years like Athletics, Football, Badminton and Snowshoeing. His achievement includes: 100m, 200m Champion in the District games, Badminton Singles Champion at the State level competition, and was in the winning team in the Borneo Cup Football competition. He bagged the bronze in the snowshoeing in the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games held in South Korea.
Zul's father En. Mohd Riduan Abdullah, an active member and Coach in the Special Olympics Family Support Network (FSN) in SO Sabah, said that Zul being the second child in the family of four siblings, is currently helping in the home-based family bundle business selling used garments. He himself enjoys cycling and hence Zul goes along with his encouragement. When asked why he linkes cycling? Zul replies, "I get to meet new friends, and cycling helps keep me fit. My mental has to be strong too."
