The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Government spends big to generate sporting success
- Pandelela and Haziq are simply the best at sports school
- Wee Wern is proof that home product can deliver the goods
| Government spends big to generate sporting success Posted: 29 Oct 2012 04:24 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: The government's intent on making Malaysia a sporting powerhouse is loud and clear – with RM187.2mil being poured into sports development for next year. "This is an increment from our previous years. The challenge for us here is simply that that we don't just spend money, but to make sure that the money will generate sporting success, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, who chaired the National Sports Council (NSC) board of managers' meeting in Bukit Jalil yesterday. "We are satisfied with the performance of our athletes at the recent Olympics and Paralympic Games in London. Although we didn't win gold this time, it was by far our best performance to date. And we know we can excel in different sports – Pandelela Rinong winning the bronze showed us just that." Also present at the meeting were NSC director general Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong and Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar. Of the total sum, RM8.5mil will be allocated for next year's 16th edition of Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) in Kuala Lumpur. The Games, which will feature 21 sports, will be held on June 28-July 7 and will utilise Universiti Putra Malaysia's hostel as the athletes' village. Ahmad Shabery also announced that the NSC and the Paralympic Council of Malaysia will set up a special committee to discuss the issue of providing cash incentives to paralympic athletes. He said that the incentive should not be called pensions but rather a fixed remuneration. "We are very proud of the achievements of the paralympic athletes in London and will look into a scheme that will be fair as there are many different categories in paralympics," he said. |
| Pandelela and Haziq are simply the best at sports school Posted: 29 Oct 2012 04:22 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: National athletes – archer Haziq Kamaruddin and diver Pandelela Rinong – have been crowned Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) sportsman and sportswoman for 2012 respectively. Both athletes, who represented the country in the 2012 London Olympics, were picked based on their performances at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia. Haziq, 19, from Johor Baru, said although he was knocked out in the early stages of the archery competition in London, "being crowned Sportsman of the Year will certainly boost my confidence to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil". "My focus will now be on qualifying for the Olympics in Rio," said Haziq after receiving his trophy from Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin yesterday. Raja Nong Chik, in his speech, urged BJSS students to work on their physical and mental strength as well as their discipline. Citing the success of South Koreans in golf, he said that although the Koreans had just ventured into golf about 10 years ago, they have emerged as world beaters since then. "The main elements are mental strength and discipline. If athletes have both these qualities, we too can excel in any field although our population is small," he said. — Bernama |
| Wee Wern is proof that home product can deliver the goods Posted: 29 Oct 2012 04:23 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Squash star Low Wee Wern's meteoric rise to fame on the international stage is proof that home-based training works and local coaches can produce champions. National No. 2 Wee Wern staged a remarkable comeback to beat New Zealand's Joelle King 6-11, 11-4, 3-11, 11-3, 11-9 in the final to defend the US$55,000 China Open title on Sunday. The win was sweeter this time as the China Open had been upgraded from a Women's Squash Association (WSA) silver to gold event. Prior to Wee Wern's breakthrough, the only other woman squash player to have won a WSA Gold event is Nicol David. The 22-year-old Wee Wern trains in Penang under coach Aaron Soyza. Former Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) official Wong Ah Jit, who has seen Wee Wern turn from a skinny and eager junior girl into a world class player, was proud of her single-mindedness to excel. "Wee Wern has come a long way and it's very satisfying to see her grow to become the country's No. 2 squash player," said Ah Jit, who was the association's former executive director for more than a decade. "She is truly a home product. She was attached to Liz Irving in Amsterdam – just like Nicol David – for a period of time last year. However, it did not work out. She returned home to continue training in Penang. "She trusts her coach (Aaron) and has full confidence in his way training programme. Credit to the Penang SRA team and also the national association for their support and allowing Wee Wern to flourish under the local setting. "This is a classic case of a good working relationships between an athlete and a local coach. They proved that they can do the job that is entrusted to them without demanding anything. They surely saved a lot of money by not being based overseas. They should enjoy continuous support." Ah Jit hoped that world No. 9 Wee Wern will continue to work on her game, improve on her world ranking and keep an eye on the threat emerging from the Egyptian players. "She has more to give. For now, it will be wise for her to study the Egyptian's styles of play as they are becoming a dominant force," he said. "Besides basic training, Wee Wern should do some video analysis of these players. These Egyptians go for all kinds of shots and are known for setting up excellent shots. Our players must have a knowledge of their playing styles." With Wee Wern doing well to support world No. 1 Nicol, Ah Jit hopes that other women squash players in the country will raise their standard so that Malaysia can form a solid women's team and give decent performances at the World Team Championships in France from Nov 12-17. |
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