KUALA LUMPUR – Optimal food intake is crucial for high-performance athletes to maintain their peak level of performance, a factor that should not be compromised even during festive seasons.
The same principle holds true for national hockey icon Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi, who, despite having only three days to celebrate Hari Raya with his family during his playing days, ensured that his dietary discipline and training regimen remained unwavering.
Speaking to Scoop, the 53-year-old triple Olympian (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000) candidly acknowledged the challenges he encountered in managing his food temptations upon being presented with a diverse array of cuisines when returning to his hometown in Melaka for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“Alhamdulillah, I’ve always cherished and never missed any of my Hari Raya celebrations, particularly the first three days, of my career as a hockey player.
“Back then, tournaments never coincided with this festive period. Sometimes, my team and I returned to Malaysia from overseas right before Hari Raya, leading to chaotic preparations for our journey to our hometown.
“Celebrating Raya with my family was very meaningful despite my commitment as a national athlete, as it required upholding discipline even while at home.
“During Raya, I faced the temptation of indulging in various foods after fasting for 30 days, especially on the first day as I felt liberated to eat as much and whenever I wanted.
“Meeting friends and family during Hari Raya brought happiness, but as a national athlete, it was challenging, requiring discipline in food consumption.
“But for me, this festival is always something very meaningful. We rarely get to meet our relatives, and Hari Raya is the day where we can finally get to do that, especially the far distant ones and the uncles and aunties that we rarely meet,” said Mirnawan.
Mirnawan also expressed that at times, he wished he could have extended his time with his family to fully enjoy their celebrations.
However, he remained resolute, ensuring he communicated his unwavering dedication to serving his country.
“I’m also human and I also have families, and my family always looks forward to my presence during Hari Raya. Sometimes I did feel sad and feel like I wanted to spend more time with my family, but I always looked at my priorities.
“During that time, I was a national athlete, and my main priority was to be at the top level when representing the country. This is a sacrifice that we as athletes make for the country.
“This is an attitude that should be upheld by all athletes, that we have to sacrifice our personal needs for the country. We have to do it at any cost.
“But what is more important is, our family should also understand our commitment towards the country. Alhamdulillah, my family knew my commitment, and for them, it was a norm.
“Athletes in the current generation must make sure that before they form a family with their wife or even if they have a girlfriend, they need to understand their commitment. If they have a partner, they need to make sure that their partners understand their priorities.
“As elite athletes, we should not compromise our training, commitment, and discipline,” Mirnawan added.
Aside from his playing days for the Speedy Tigers from 1989 to 2002, Mirnawan, affectionately known as the “Boss” by local hockey fans, was also the former junior (2009-2015) and senior (2020-2024) national hockey team manager.
Mirnawan made a total of 327 appearances for the Speedy Tigers and has won a Commonwealth silver medal (1998 Kuala Lumpur), an Asian Games bronze medal (1990 Beijing), and a total of five Southeast Asian Games gold medals (1993 Singapore, 1995 Chiang Mai, 1997 Jakarta, 1999 Bandar Seri Begawan, and 2001 Kuala Lumpur). – April 8, 2024
