Malaysian para-athlete Abdul Halim is proving that Ramadan is no barrier to excellence as he rigorously trains for the upcoming Para Swimming World Series while fasting.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

National para-swimmer Abd Halim Mohammad emphasised that Ramadan is no excuse to ease up on training, especially with the 2025 Para Swimming World Series in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan, fast approaching from April 10-12.

The five-time ASEAN Para Games gold medalist acknowledged that, like many athletes, his training schedule has been adjusted to accommodate Sahur and Iftar at the Paralympic Excellence Centre in Kampung Pandan.

“Morning sessions are usually from 8.30 to 11am, with evenings from 4 to 6 pm. But during Ramadan, we train from 6.30 to 9 am after Sahur, while evening sessions are from 9 to 11 pm,” he said.

Training remains intense as Abd Halim and his teammates are set to depart for Japan on April 5, meaning they will not be celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri at home this year.

The Sabah-born swimmer will compete in the 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, and 50m freestyle, focusing on improving his personal bests in preparation for another major competition in September.

“I’m still unsure which athletes will be joining me in Japan, but my focus remains on maintaining peak condition. Plus, we’ll have some time to train there before the event to get into the right competitive mindset,” he said.

Abd Halim is no stranger to the swimming scene, having earned the highest reward under the national Sports Victory Prize Scheme, receiving RM62,250 for his achievements at the 2023 ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia.

He delivered a stellar performance, clinching gold in the 200m individual medley SM8, 50m freestyle S8, 100m breaststroke SB8, 100m freestyle S8, and 50m breaststroke SB, along with a bronze in the 4x100m medley relay (34 pts).

He capped this off by setting two Games records in the 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.