The Star Online: Sports
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- Shooters slay ghost of Vientiene with eight-gold haul
- We are sorry
- All Blacks' McCaw to join 100-cap club against Japan
| Shooters slay ghost of Vientiene with eight-gold haul Posted: 13 Sep 2011 06:16 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: Malaysian shooters erased the nightmare of their previous visit to Vientiane two years ago with a brilliant eight-gold medal haul at the just-concluded South-east Asian Shooting Association (SEASA) Championships. Malaysia failed to gun down a single gold medal from the Vientiene in the Laos SEA Games two years ago. But the performances of women shooters Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim (pic) and Joseline Cheah in their respective individual disciplines in Vientiane this time augurs well for the SEA Games in Palembang in November. The absence of top woman rifle shooter Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi, due to ill health, was hardly felt as Nur Ayuni delivered three gold and one silver medals. The 21-year-old lass came out tops in the 50m rifle three-position individual event with a total of 675.2 points. She also claimed two gold medals in the 10m air rifle and 50m rifle three-position team events with Muslifah Zulkifli and Haslisa Hamed. The Malaysian trio amassed 1,166 points in the air rifle team event and triumphed in the 50m rifle three-position with 1,713 points. Nur Ayuni's silver medal came from the 10m air rifle individual event. Nur Ayuni, who partnered Nur Suryani to clinch gold in the women's 10m air rifle pairs at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games in October last year, has yet to bag a gold at the SEA Games level. And she aims to do just that in Palembang. "I got silver in the team and bronze in the individual events at the last SEA Games. So I hope it will be a gold medal this time," said Nur Ayuni, who is one of four shooters in the Road to London programme. "The SEASA meet has given me a timely boost ahead of my second SEA Games, where I expect stiffer competition." It was also a satisfying outing for Joseline, who bagged gold in her pet 10m air pistol discipline. The Penang-born Joseline got her act right when it mattered most, shooting a total of 99.9 in the final round to snatch the gold medal by a slim margin. Joseline finished with 475.9 to claim the gold, ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Thu Van (475.4). Joseline went into the final tied on second place with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Bibiana Ng on 376, trailing Nguyen by just one point. Bibiana finished third with 474.3 but did not get the bronze as the rules state that only one shooter from each country is eligible for a medal. "I won it before in 2006 and it gives me confidence to look ahead to the SEA Games, where I hope to shoot for my first gold medal," said Joseline. "It's harder this time as there are no team events for shooting in this year's SEA Games. But we will fight hard for it like everyone else." The remaining gold medals for Malaysia came from the team events, where the cumulative scores of the shooters from the individual rounds are taken into account. The SEASA meet saw the participation of all 10 member associations. MALAYSIAN MEDAL WINNERS (8-4-1) GOLD Women's 10m air rifle team (Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim, Muslifah Zulkifli, Haslisa Hamed). Women's 10m air pistol individual (Joseline Cheah). Men's 50m rifle prone team (Mohd Hadafi Jaafar, Hisyam Adzha, Mohd Shahril Sahak). Women's 50m rifle prone team (Haslisa Hamed, Muslifah Zulkifli, Nor Ain Ibrahim). Women's 50m rifle three-position team (Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul, Muslifah Zulkifli, Haslisa Hamed). Women's 50m rifle three-position individual (Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim). Men's 25m rapid fire pistol team (Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan, Hafiz Adzha, Khalel Abdullah). Men's 50m rifle three-position team (Nurrahimin Mohd Halim, Mohd Zubair Mohamad, Mohd Hadafi Jaafar). SILVER Men's 50m rifle three-position individual (Nurrahimin Mohd Halim). Men's 50m rifle prone individual (Hisyam Adzha). Women's 10m air rifle individual (Nur Ayuni Farhana). Women's 25m sport pistol (Bibiana Ng). BRONZE Men's 25m rapid fire pistol individual (Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan). |
| Posted: 13 Sep 2011 06:14 PM PDT Wednesday September 14, 2011WITH reference to the story titled " We deeply regret the mistake and sincerely apologise to the family for any distress caused. |
| All Blacks' McCaw to join 100-cap club against Japan Posted: 13 Sep 2011 05:48 PM PDT HAMILTON (New Zealand): All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will become the first player to win 100 international caps for New Zealand when he runs out to play Japan in Hamilton on Friday, while team mate and "old bull" Mils Muliaina looks to avoid being put out to pasture. Dan Carter has been named in the starting 15 for the All Blacks' World Cup Pool A match against the Brave Blossoms, despite lingering doubts over his fitness after the flyhalf sustained a back injury in the tournament opener against Tonga last Friday. McCaw earned man-of-the-match honours in his 2001 debut against Ireland and has captained the side since Tana Umaga retired after the 2005 grand slam tour of Britain and Ireland. The milestone was a "truly remarkable achievement", said All Blacks coach Graham Henry, gushing to a media pack in Hamilton on Wednesday after the team was released. "His steel, his bravery, his ability to lead by example, the respect the players have for him ... "I think, more importantly, he's an inspirational person for New Zealanders, and the team, by being the person that he is and the way he plays the game," Henry said. Fullback Mils Muliaina has been recalled to the side to win his 99th cap, as he continues his battle with Israel Dagg for the starting spot for the rest of the tournament. Despite scoring two tries in the All Blacks' 41-10 win over Tonga in an impressive return to the side, Dagg will not even warm the bench for the game against the Pacific Nations Cup champions. Referring to the fullbacks' battle, Henry said there was still plenty to play for as Muliaina strives to avoid getting stranded on 99 tests. "You've got the old bull and the new bull and it's a good contest," said Henry. "But if you don't give the old bull a chance, he's not going to be able to show what he can do and he's showed this country for 98 test matches what he can do. "He's often been the number one fullback playing the game. It's just trying to get that balance right so both have an opportunity to show that they're good enough." Henry admitted there had been some thought given to the idea of playing both players in the starting side at some point in the tournament, with Muliaina at fullback and Dagg on the wing, however, he had his doubts about such a move. "I think, personally, that Israel is a better fullback than a wing and that's understandable. He's played most of his rugby at fullback. As everybody knows, fullbacks and wings need similar skills, so that opportunity is a possibility." Carter, who received treatment for his back injury after the Tongan game, would not be a certainty to take the field at Waikato Stadium until closer to the game. "He's got to get through training today, but we're quite flexible on that decision and really, it's up to Dan to let me know if he's ready or not," added Henry. "He's keen to play, obviously, but he won't play unless he's right." Henry has named scrumhalf Andy Ellis to replace Jimmy Cowan, while shifting utility back Richard Kahui, who also scored two tries against Tonga, to left wing to allow Cory Jane to start the game on the right. Centre Conrad Smith also returns to the side for his 50th test and recommences his combination with Ma'a Nonu, who has shifted back to his more preferred position of inside centre after he played centre at Eden Park. The All Blacks have also welcomed back loose forward Adam Thomson back from an elbow injury he suffered in the All Blacks' 25-20 loss to Australia in the Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane on Aug. 27. He has been named at number eight. Hooker Keven Mealamu also returns to the side in what is essentially a full-strength pack, with Sam Whitelock resuming his locking partnership with Brad Thorn after he was on the bench last week. |
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