The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Khairy emphasises importance of sports science
- Cyclists face stiffer test in second leg of South-East Asian GP
- Third time’s the charm as Linda lands floor exercise gold
| Khairy emphasises importance of sports science Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:52 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-appointed Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has laid down his plans for Malaysian sports – highlighting the importance of sports science and grassroots development. Khairy, who assumed the post last month when he took over from Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, also intends to make the National Sports Institute (NSI) a world class unit in terms of facility and personnel. "Right now, we are in the final phase of a strategic plan in making the NSI a world class facility by 2020," said Khairy, who visited the NSI in Bukit Jalil for the first time with Deputy Minister Datuk M. Saravanan yesterday. "The first part of the plan revolves around increasing the staff at NSI, not just in quantity but in quality as well. For me, the NSI is important because I truly believe in sports science and evidence-based sports development. "And for that, my ministry will give a lot of support to NSI in order to produce athletes who can perform at their best at the highest level. "Right now, the level of awareness towards sports science by our athletes is still quite low. I want to work closely with NSI, the National Sports Council (NSC) and all the national sports associations to encourage the application of sports science in training and preparation. "I don't want all the resources to be channelled towards game reviews only. I want the athletes to use the sports science facilities we have for their own preparations in terms of nutrition, psychology and physical conditioning. "In fact, it's not just the athletes who need to adapt, it's the coaches too who must believe in sports science ... because that's how modern sports is. We will not interrupt the regular training routines but coaches have to be serious with sports science too. "A fine example of an athlete who truly believes in sports science is (Lee) Chong Wei. He's really serious about this and it shows because even though he's 30 years old, he still performs at the highest level." Khairy, who also met several athletes at the NSI, added that the second part of his plan was to have a talent identification programme to spot bright talents at an early age. "I will chair a workforce, which will enlist the help of the Education Ministry, that aims to identify talented athletes at a younger age," said Khairy. "If we do not have a good talent identification programme, we will not have any good talent in the next five to 10 years. "That's why we need to identify these young talents early – preferably from primary school onwards and expose them to the NSC and NSI training system early in order for them to become future national athletes." |
| Cyclists face stiffer test in second leg of South-East Asian GP Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:44 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: Malaysian cyclists may have dominated the first-leg of the South-East Asian Grand Prix, which concluded at the Cheras Velodrome on Monday, but there's nothing for them to gloat about. Their real test begins this weekend, when they go up against stronger riders from Iran, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Australia. Except for world keirin champion Shane Perkins and his Australian team-mate Scott Sunderland, who won the gold medal in the 1km time trial at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, the locals were pitted against each other in almost every other discipline. As such, national cyclists like London Olympian Fatehah Mustafa and top junior Muhd Firdaus Mohd Zonis breezed through their events. Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) deputy president Datuk Naim Mohamad, however, is aware that things will be different in the second leg this weekend. "There are not many races in Asia offering Olympic ranking points," he said. "A Grand Prix meet has to have the participation of four foreign countries for it to be eligible to give out ranking points. "Fatehah won her events (sprint, team sprint and keirin) but she wasn't eligible for points as there were no foreign entries for women's elite. "It'll be different this weekend as the Australian national women cyclists will be here. "Even the men's field will be exciting. Our top cyclists – Azizulhasni Awang and Josiah Ng – are flying home from their Melbourne base with coach John Beasley. "It will be a good gauge of their preparations for the new track cycling season." Fatehah too is looking to pick up ranking points in the second leg this weekend. "I know that Australia's Kaarle McCulloch, who partnered Anna Meares for the women's team sprint bronze medal at the London Olympics last year, is coming," Fatehah said. "I often raced against the Australians in Melbourne and am looking forward to the challenge. "This will be a test for me to prepare myself before I compete in the German Grand Prix, which also offers ranking points, later this month." |
| Third time’s the charm as Linda lands floor exercise gold Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:45 PM PDT SHAH ALAM: Third time's the charm for Sarawak's Linda Lim as she won gold in the floor exercise of the National Schools (MSSSM) artistic gymnastics championships at Dewan Gimnastik, Selangor National Sports Council, Seksyen 6 in Shah Alam. Competing in the girls' Under-12 category, Linda marked her third MSSM outing by scoring 12.20 points to win her first medal of the championships. "I'm so happy!," she said. "I was very determined to bring home a medal this year." The 12-year-old SJK (C) Chung Hwa student from Kuching, Sarawak, had been longing for a medal after coming up short in 2011 and 2012. Selangor's Khaliesa Zaiful Azian took home the silver medal with 11.85 points while Sarawak's Cassandra Lavigne (11.80) finished third. In fact, Sarawak's girls performed well in the floor exercise with all five girls finishing in the top six among the 40 competitors as the other three girls in the team – Sufi As-Sofiyah Kadir (11.70), Audrey Jude Rendih (11.65) and Nur Sofea Idayah Abdullah (11.35) – finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Linda also won a silver in the uneven bars, scoring 10.05 points to finish behind team-mate Sufi As-Sofiyah (10.35). Selangor's Khaliesa clinched bronze with 8.65 points. It was a good day for Sarawak as Esmelda Arecia Menti Alfred Geling also delivered two gold medals for the state – winning the uneven bars (12.00) and floor exercise (12.95) in the girls' Under-15 category. In the boys' Under-12, Selangor's Douglas Ng, who is being coached by former national gymnast Ng Shu Wai, opened his account with two medals – gold in the parallel bars (18.95) and bronze in the vault (8.45). |
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