KUCHING: Three Sarawak judokas will be sent for competitions in Vietnam and Thailand next month to prepare them for future tournaments such as the SEA Games and the Asian Championships.

Sukma Terengganu silver medallist Mohd Madzihi has been selected for two tournaments — the Southeast Asian International Championships in Vietnam from July 3 to 5, and the Vietnam International on July 5 and 6.

Madzihi will also join the Vietnamese team in their joint national training camp on July 7 and 8 aimed at toughening up the participants.

“Vietnam used to be lower than Malaysia in judo ranking but they are higher now.

“They improve through good planning and sending their elite and their back-up squads to Japan for training once a year,” Sarawak coach K. Thevaraj said.

Madzihi who won a silver medal in the national championships put up a good fight in the recent Sukma but had again to be contented with another silver.

According to Thevaraj, Madzihi had to fight someone in a heavier category (+90kg) during Sukma but was not really overwhelmed by his opponent.

In fact, he was able to attack and his opponent only won after a struggle, he said.

Sarawak’s Gary MacClay, Patrick Megan and James Thomas will be competing in the Thailand International championships on July 11 and 12.

James, medal-less in Terengganu, was also in the same dilemma, having to compete in the heavier -60kg.

Thevaraj said the main purpose of competing in the Thailand International was not to win medals but prepare for major bouts in the future.

Other top Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines would also be fielding exponents as a build-up for big tournaments such as the SEA Games, the Asian Championships, the World Championships and the Olympics.