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The Star
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Sports integration a game changer in Kelana Jaya
SPORTING facilities in Kelana Jaya's SS6, SS7 and part of SS8 will be integrated into a sports hub. This move by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is to revitalise the area. Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon's focus is on infrastructure improvements to connect the sports facilities. 'Our council planners and I have a vision to transform SS6, SS7 and part of SS8 into an integrated ecosystem for sports, entertainment and lifestyle activities. 'We have to increase the facilities for athletes to work out and for families to engage in sports activities or watch live sports,' he said. Spanning a mammoth 353.28ha, the cluster of sporting facilities comprise Stadium MBPJ – built for the 1998 Commonwealth Games, Kelana Jaya swimming complex, tennis and badminton courts as well as running tracks. Pickleball and paddle ball courts will also be built soon. Within the area is Taman Tasik Bandaran, the venue for MBPJ's fishing competitions that receive participation of thousands of avid anglers. 'Taman Tasik Bandaran Kelana Jaya is also where MBPJ holds the annual International Remote Control Powerboat Championship; we will improve the area,' said Mohamad Zahri. Mohamad Zahri says it is crucial to manage existing MBPJ sports assets sustainably. He said the city council's plan was to transform SS6, SS7 and part of SS8 into a community hub, the facilities of which could be used by residents in the vicinity as well as schools. He stressed that it was crucial to manage existing MBPJ sports assets sustainably, to encourage greater participation and use them to nurture talent and sports innovation. 'Our council's plan is to turn the Kelana Jaya sports hub into a Petaling Jaya icon,' he added. Mohamad Zahri said it was important to collaborate with private sports entities to encourage wider participation and use of the sports infrastructure. 'More sporting programmes for all age groups are needed, and working with the private sector will produce better experiences and foster unity among people in Petaling Jaya,' he said. Selangor's largest indoor karting centre, X Park Sunway Serene, in Jalan SS8/6 is a component of the Kelana Jaya Sports Hub. Feedback and ideas are being sourced from public focus group discussions involving stakeholders, private sports facility operators, and area councillors. Mohamad Zahri said for a start, Stadium MBPJ was undergoing an upgrade with new seats and state-of-the-art synthetic turf. 'About 70% of work at the stadium has been completed. 'Walk paths outside the stadium will be built. 'We will improve all sports facilities in stages, based on discussions with local stakeholders,' he assured. The mayor also said MBPJ was considering the suggestion to have sky bridges or elevated pedestrian walkways linking SS6, SS7 and SS8. He said the city council wanted to make sports and sporting facilities affordable for the community, noting that not everyone could afford to pay for such equipment. 'Many just want a chance to play sports. 'Creating an integrated sports hub makes community sports in public spaces more special. It benefits everyone and gives opportunities to all, including the low-income group,' he added. MBPJ councillor for SS7 Mohamed Hamka Mohamed Jumah agreed with the mayor's point on the need to partner with private sports entities and leverage on their expertise in programme design as well as sports event planning. 'Kelana Jaya and its bordering areas have a high population of youths. 'Working with private sports centres and groups will augur well for MBPJ as the latter offer advanced sports programmes, training methods, and coaching, which can be adopted into the council's programmes to benefit the younger generation.' Mohamad Hamka said the sports hub must have something for everyone, be it an elite athlete striving to achieve the highest levels in sports, a student competing in athletics or residents who want to improve their fitness. MBPJ's badminton facility in SS7, Kelana Jaya. MBPJ councillor for SS8 Nurashikin Ali said: 'Our main aim is to turn Kelana Jaya into a civic space that doubles as a sporting destination. 'It must evolve into a place where people can relax or spend time with their friends. 'People want the surroundings connected by extensive roofed walkways, cycle routes and dedicated buses that link SS6, SS7 and SS8, which make it easy to get around.' Nurashikin said the hub was part of a plan to promote physical and mental well-being. MBPJ Development and Planning Department director Lee Lih Shyan said MBPJ aimed to inspire grassroots participation and sporting excellence via the city's urban development plan. The town planner said the sports hub would be made accessible to all and would become a community focal point for social and sporting activities. Lee says the proposed sports hub will be a community focal point for social and sporting activities. 'For this sports hub to thrive, we need activities for youths, the middle aged and seniors.' Taman Tasik Bandaran Kelana Jaya SS7 has seven lakes used for angling and power boat competitions, he said, while SS8 has Selangor's biggest indoor karting centre. Lee said sports would also provide opportunities for people with disabilities and enable residents to socialise. 'Urban sports-friendly areas are equitable public spaces. 'Whether indoors or outdoors, it is a place where everyone gets a chance to take part. It creates liveable communities,' he added. Sports science student Wan Syazfizal Adam Wan Mohd Sapari, 20, said MBPJ's plan to create the Kelana Jaya sports hub would benefit youths. He suggested that MBPJ build sepak takraw courts too. Wan Syazfizal says the sports hub will benefit youths. 'Sepak takraw is a popular sport and has the potential for community engagement. 'It can be a unifying sport, bringing people together in a fun way and nurture future players.' Muhammad Sharmin is calling for the provision of 'sepak takraw' courts at the sports hub. Muhammad Sharmin Firdaus, 20, also said the provision of sepak takraw courts at the sports hub would be a valuable addition, especially given the sport's popularity among youths. 'It would create an opportunity for youths to pick up and train in the sport, potentially tapping new talents.' Wan Nadzmi: The facilities should have good bus connectivity and shaded walkways. Business administration student Wan Nadzmi Zafri Wan Mohamad Ruzman, 21, said MBPJ should have good public transport connectivity from one sports facility to another. 'It should also provide shaded walkways for users' convenience. 'If the sports hub is to thrive, MBPJ must provide buses to connect it to neighbourhoods. The Kelana Jaya Swimming Pool Complex is located in SS7. 'There must be convenient connections, for example, from the SS8 go-kart centre to the Kelana Jaya swimming complex in SS7. 'Using electric buses for last-mile connectivity is important as it will see a big drop in carbon footprint and cost,' said Wan Nadzmi.
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Despite torn spikes, teenager Pooja leaps to high jump gold at Asian Athletics – and is leading a revolution in her village
Even a torn spike, patched up using Kinesiology tape, didn't deter teenage high jumper Pooja from taking aim at the women's national record of 1.92 metres at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi. The mason's daughter from Bosti village in Haryana's Fatehabad district made a statement by attempting to rewrite Sahana Kumari's mark, dating back to 2012. Pooja had already pocketed the gold medal, only India's second in the women's high jump in the history of the competition, by clearing the bar at 1.89 metres. Last time an Indian woman high jumper won gold at the Asian Championships was in 2000, when a 26-year-old Bobby Aloysius cleared 1.83 metres. From humble beginnings — a bamboo pole as the bar and sacks filled with rice husk and hay as the landing mat — at her coach Balwan Patra's academy in Patra village, next to Bosti, Pooja challenged the best in Asia and won. The national record would have been a bonus. But 18-year-old Pooja had entered the record books by rewriting her own national Under-20 record, an improvement of four centimetres, en route to winning her first senior international medal. Since Aloysius's gold — she also won a silver in the next edition — the top of the podium place has been the preserve of the jumpers from Kyrgyzstan, China and Uzbekistan. Coach Balwan believes the national record would have fallen if not for the torn spike Pooja wore on her left foot during the final. Balwan said Pooja wears Nike spikes. But the left spike frayed and came apart during a practice session. 'Her regular Nike shoes split. She had an Adidas pair too, but she didn't get the right feel when she wore those spikes as she felt she could not control her jump. So she decided to wear the torn spikes because she was more comfortable in them. If her spikes were good, she could have equalled the national record,' Balwan told The Indian Express. Pooja was happy that her first medal at a senior international competition was a gold. 'My body was very well in sync and I would have cleared that 1.92m mark but missed it. Nevertheless, a personal best and gold medal is really good for me. In the last edition I did 1.75 (metres) but this time I improved, so this is a good medal for me at the age of 18,' Pooja said post the final. India's chief national coach Radhakrishnan Nair said he was pleasantly surprised that Pooja clinched the gold. The veteran coach said she has a bright future. 'Of course, I was expecting that she would do 1.85-plus but it was not assured with the gold medal. It was an excellent performance by her, comparing her age. She is developing every year. She can be a very good high jumper,' Nair said. Coach Balwan has given her the target of winning gold at next year's Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. Even when she is travelling, thousands of kilometres from her village, Pooja is on the phone with Balwan multiple times a day. Post the press conference on Friday, Pooja rang up her long-time coach. Theirs is a partnership that goes back to when Pooja was into yogasana and gymnastics. Balwan didn't have a landing mat or any equipment to train high jumpers at his academy, named after his village — Patra Sports Academy, located at a school premises. 'We used rice husks and hay to fill sacks. Those sacks formed the landing mat,' Balwan said of the time when Pooja transitioned from yogasana and gymnastics to high jump. Pooja's father Hansraj Singh is a mason with a daily wage. He was open to the idea of enrolling his daughter at Balwan's academy. Pooja heard about the academy after she saw Balwan's trainees perform yogasana at a village function. 'Her father brought her to my academy. I trained her in gymnastics and also yoga. Back then there were no high jumpers training at the academy,' coach Balwan recalled. Balwan, a former 800 metres runner, however was impressed by Pooja's flexibility, explosive power and strength in her legs. He took a gamble and asked Pooja if she wanted to try high jump. 'Her first jump was about 90 centimetres. I knew immediately that she had a natural ability in the high jump.' Pooja spoke about the jugaad she and her coach resorted to in the early days. 'I picked up high jump because my coach was confident. When I started there was no proper mat, but I broke the Under-16 record. I have gone through a lot to reach here.' With Pooja's fortunes improving, the facilities at Patra's academy were also upgraded. A quality landing mat was gifted by former Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medal-winning discus thrower Seema Antil. 'After Pooja qualified for the Asian Games, Seema called me and asked what I needed. When she knew the mat was old, she said that she would get a new one. In less than a month, Seema ensured we had a new mat. Pooja trained on that mat for the Asian Games. We are grateful to Seema,' Balwan said. In Patra, there is a mini revolution in high jump following Pooja's success. 'Lot of kids want to be in the high jump. Pooja was the only high jumper, now there are 10 high jumpers in the academy — from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Pooja has inspired a lot of athletes to become high jumpers.'
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Michelle McManus nervous ahead of Robbie Williams duet
Singer Michelle McManus says she is more nervous to perform with Robbie Williams than she was to sing in front of the Pop Idol winner, who presents the Afternoon Show on BBC Radio Scotland, will duet with Williams at Murrayfield on Saturday on the first night of his Britpop Angels singer surprised McManus on her radio show with the invitation to join him on said it was "really lovely" and "symbolic" to be invited to perform with Robbie 22 years into her career. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme, the Scottish singer said she was nervous but excited to perform in front of a home said: "My happy place is when I sing, so the singing part is not the problem, the nervous part is singing to Robbie Williams in front of 70,000 people."When we did the pope's visit in Bellahouston it was 80,000 - but singing for a bunch of cardinals and a Pope was slightly different than singing for Robbie Williams." In the two decades since she shot to fame on talent contest, Pop Idol, McManus has played gigs including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Pope Benedict's visit to Glasgow in said: "I'm at a stage in my life now, I'm 45, I've got my two kids, I'm so lucky to be here at BBC Radio Scotland. "Everything is in place and then comes this big gig at Murrayfield which was not on my bingo card for this year."It's really emotional to be asked by somebody who is your friend to join them on stage, it is a lovely thing." Swarovski crystals Williams is on a five-month tour of the UK and Europe, performing hit including Let Me Entertain You, Angels and She's the One. He has previously duetted with Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Taylor Swift - a list that McManus can now add her name and Williams became acquainted in the early 2000s when he gave her advice on handling fame and the friendship continued through the years, with Michelle recently attending the premiere of his film biopic Better of their Saturday performance are under wraps, with Michelle keeping quiet about the chosen song. But she did reveal her outfit features 40,000 Swarovski crystals."I'm never going to take it off. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever had on my body," she said."You will not need to worry about seeing me from the stage, from the colour of my hair and the amount of crystals."
Otago Daily Times
16 hours ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Honorary degrees awarded
It has probably been a long time since David Gerrard felt like a fish out of water. If the 1964 Olympian and 1966 Commonwealth Games swimming gold medallist was feeling out of his depth yesterday, at an event to honour the University of Otago Medical School's leading medical graduates, the 80-year-old hid it well. After his successful swimming career, he gained a medical degree at Otago in 1977 and went on to become a sports medicine specialist, attending many Olympic Games as the New Zealand team doctor, chef-de-mission and medical commissioner, and three Rugby World Cups as the anti-doping commissioner. His published research in sports medicine and science has made an impact nationally and internationally, particularly in the area of anti-doping. He remains a consultant to several international medical committees. Yesterday, the emeritus professor was one of four leading medical graduates from the University of Otago to be awarded an honorary doctor of science, as part of the Otago Medical School 150th anniversary celebrations this weekend. He was humble about the honorary degree, and said it was not just a celebration of his personal journey, but rather a reflection of the foundation provided by the university in shaping who he is today. "I was fortunate to have been part of an inspiring academic community for over 40 years as an undergraduate, clinician and academic. "Mentors, peers and colleagues shaped my time at Otago, and in return, I trust I was able to share these values with students I was fortunate enough to work with and learn from. "I'm proud to be counted among the university's distinguished alumni." The other leading alumni to receive the honorary degree were Dame Margaret Sparrow, Prof Dinah Reddihough and Associate Prof Jioji Malani. Dame Margaret made extraordinary contributions to sexual and reproductive health throughout her career as a family planning educator and reproductive rights advocate. She pioneered contraception and abortion services for students and vasectomies for men, and was one of the first doctors to prescribe the emergency contraceptive pill and successfully campaigned for the introduction of legal and safe abortions in New Zealand. She was honoured by yesterday's acknowledgement. "Although in the 1950s and '60s there was inadequate education in sexual health, especially in the topics of contraception and abortion, the good basic training that I did receive enabled me to pursue a rewarding career in sexual and reproductive health," she said. Paediatrics Prof Reddihough is a leader in advancing knowledge about physical disability in childhood, and her work addresses the health and social inequities of young people with cerebral palsy. For her, the honorary degree was an unexpected privilege. "My work has been made possible because of my partnerships with many wonderful professionals over my career, and more especially with people with lived experience of disability, especially cerebral palsy, and their families who have inspired and encouraged me to do my best. "I have treasured memories of my student days, the various teachers and lecturers, my classmates and the campus of which I was a part." Assoc Prof Malani is a leading specialist in internal medicine and advocates for those with kidney disease, particularly in the Pacific region. He established Fiji's kidney dialysis unit and assisted in a world-class gastroenterology programme that has revolutionised the approach and treatment of gastroenterological conditions. The former University of Hawai'i clinical professor helped train 70 physicians for the Northern Pacific and establish what is believed to be the first postgraduate medical training programme in the Pacific region. He said it was "a profound honour" to be acknowledged by an institution he holds in such high regard. "My journey at the University of Otago as a medical student has been nothing short of transformative. "The university's commitment to excellence is evident in both its academic offerings and the invaluable life skills it imparts."
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I'm a savage': An exercise in human potential or self-harm?
Loading Yet, Goggins would also reveal he had pushed himself so hard he had blood in his urine, and left his body with so many health issues it had 'pretty much shut down on me'. A celebration of human potential, or self harm? Achieving what once seemed impossible stretches our perspective on life and by challenging our bodies, we challenge our beliefs about ourselves. Through suffering, the theory goes, we can cultivate gratitude and build tolerance for life's day-to-day stresses. But when are we celebrating human potential, and when are we elevating self-harm? What is the line between transcending our beliefs about what we're capable of and self-destruction? The answer depends on who you ask. Olympic marathon runner, Jess Stenson has an intimate relationship with suffering through her sport. 'Pain shows up in a lot of different ways,' says the 37-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist. 'It can be mental suffering – feeling overwhelmed or anxious, or I have self-doubt – or it can be physical pain.' She accepts that to achieve her potential, she has to push through mental pain and some physical pain, including blisters, chafing and cramps. Loading At the 37 kilometre mark of the 2018 Commonwealth Games marathon in the Gold Coast, however, Stenson started feeling dizzy, disorientated, and began shivering. 'This might be a bit dangerous,' the lululemon athlete recalls thinking. Nauseous and vague about where she was, Stenson, now a mother of two, finished the race in third place, but had taken her body to a place she won't go again: 'That was before becoming a parent, but now even more so, I have my health to think about so I can look after the people around me. You've got to know your risk versus your reward.' The 'risk versus reward' is different for Chris Turnbull, whose 2023 record for the fastest transcontinental run across Australia was broken by Goodge. Driven by curiosity about where different adventures take him in body and mind, he isn't averse to dizziness and disorientation. 'No, I love that too,' says the 41-year-old Sydneysider. 'That's another experience.' But, like Stenson, long-term health is a consideration. 'Whether there's going to be permanent physical or mental damage I think is a clear line,' says Turnbull, a civil engineer by trade and father of two. While he admits it can be difficult to tell in the midst of an extreme challenge if any harm is temporary or not, he believes we can do much more than we think without hurting ourselves permanently. His curiosity once motivated him to work for 24 hours, just to see if he could operate mentally for that long; to choose to run during peak rain so he can splash through puddles and see the dam levels near where he lives; to run for 31 hours continuously (and 208 kilometres) in the Backyard Ultra event last month; and, of course, to run across Australia. It took him six months to recover from his transcontinental run. During the recovery, he suffered exhaustion and nerve issues which caused dizziness and tingles to shoot up his legs when he tried to run, 'but it went away'. 'I feel almost like a collector of experiences now,' he says, adding that they override the 'small discomfort' of the pain. 'Today there is very, very little that we need to do that causes us discomfort in life,' says Turnbull. 'It's up to us then if we want to do anything hard, which will often come with personal growth and unlock some new perspective in your mind.' The line between transcendence and self-harm Loading Honorary professor Kieran Fallon, the former medical director of the Sydney to Melbourne ultramarathon and head of sports medicine at the Australian Institute of Sport, largely agrees with Turnbull that it's challenging to cause permanent damage. 'Overall there's not a great deal of data on each bodily system, but there is some, and it indicates that it doesn't really cause that much trouble long-term,' says Fallon, now at Australian National University. Some endurance athletes are more likely to get cardiac fibrosis which can lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances, and there is an increased risk of malignant skin cancer from being out in the sun as well as osteoarthritis in the knees and hips. Issues with the nerves and tendons are common, but typically resolve if the person gives them time to recover. Female endurance athletes need to be wary of relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs), which can affect fertility and overall health and performance. Otherwise, Fallon says that unless a person has a specific, rare problem like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown), and acute renal failure, most issues are temporary. Dr Zena Burgess, CEO of The Australian Psychological Society, says there is much to be celebrated in the kinds of endurance feats that also involve some suffering and that positive addictions are, well, positive. 'Building mental resilience, having pain tolerance, setting goals and having coping strategies – all of that is fantastic,' says Burgess, an ocean swimmer who has participated in triathlons. It becomes destructive, she says, if a person can't ever stop, when the relentless pursuit becomes more important than anything else in their life, when it defines their self-worth and when they no longer listen to their bodies. She doesn't revere someone running 400 kilometres on a broken foot, as one US ultra-runner spoke about in April. 'I'd be celebrating the person who stopped and actually got treatment and then went back to train and was motivated again,' she says. 'The resilience of being able to keep trying, not just causing damage to your body and dealing with suffering.' For Goodge, the lines between constructive and destructive are nebulous, perhaps because both can exist at the same time. 'I always played rugby and, honestly, when I was a kid I wasn't very good at it,' says the Cadence hydration-sponsored athlete over the phone. 'At one point my Dad just said, 'Do you want to go fishing instead?'' At some point, however, he realised that he might not be the most skilled player, but he could be the most dogged. It was a mindset that led to a semi-professional rugby career, something he never thought possible, and to pursue running in his grief after his mother died from non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2018. Loading The same bullish mentality is what propelled him towards 'powerful and profound experiences' including running across Australia. 'It is extreme, and it is self-destructive, but that's kind of why I lean in to it,' he says. If his body doesn't recover from brutal challenges he puts it through, he will turn his attention to the other pursuits he's passionate about, in fashion and business. 'When I lock in, I lock in hard but outside of that I'm just conscious of enjoying life to the max. Life is finite,' Goodge says.
