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New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Pearly-Thinaah better off with BAM, says Yeoh, Chong Ming
KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and former world No. 1 doubles player Chan Chong Ming both believe women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah should remain with the BA of Malaysia (BAM). Pearly-Thinaah have yet to sign a new contract with the national body and are believed to be contemplating turning professional. Yeoh said remaining with BAM will ensure that Pearly-Thinaah continue to receive the support they need to excel at the highest level. "I hope Pearly-Thinaah will remain with BAM so they have support from the government, including from the Road to Gold (RTG) programme, so they don't have to worry about anything," said Yeoh today. "This includes coaches as well as services from the National Sports Institute. "If they leave BAM, they have to worry about where they want to find the funds to do their preparations. "They also have to find training facilities to use and also look for sparring partners, all these are currently provided." Chong Ming, who is the former women's national doubles coach, echoed Yeoh's sentiments. "I agree, if you stay with the association there are a lot of benefits. There is nothing to worry about because you have a complete support team with you," said Chong Ming. "Personally, I think Pearly and Thinaah should stay (with BAM). "Support services are very important for players today. You need to get adequate recovery and gym work (to continue performing well). "As a coach myself, we (coaches) have experience in terms of the technical and tactical aspects of badminton, because we have experienced it ourselves as players. "But we do not have the same level of expertise when it comes to strength and conditioning, psychology and so on. "When it comes to things like this, it is best to leave it to the experts. This is where the Youth and Sports Ministry can give their support." Yeoh was speaking after officiating the prize giving ceremony for the Daikin International Badminton Championships in Petaling Jaya today. Chong Ming served as the tournament director for the competition. Young players from 10 countries played in over 1,400 matches throughout the tournament, which is now in its seventh edition.
New Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
NSI will continue to power Pocket Rocketman
KUALA LUMPUR: The Pocket Rocketman will continue to be "fuelled" by the National Sports Institute (NSI). Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, who is now a professional track cyclist, will receive financial backing from NSI when representing Malaysia at major multi-sport events. NSI chief executive officer Dr P. Vellapandian said that the 2017 keirin world champion remains eligible for support from NSI though he is no longer part of the national programme. "We will continue to support Azizulhasni as a professional rider, but there are a few considerations," said Vellapandian today. "He will receive the same level of support he had as a national team member only when he represents Malaysia at major multi-sport events, such as the Asian Games. "If he competes in tournaments outside the National Sports Council's (NSC) programme, we will discuss with national cycling technical director, John Beasley, and Azizulhasni himself to assess his requirements. "We will not deny him assistance simply because he has turned professional. Our support will depend on the feedback we receive from them." Azizulhasni, 37, had planned to retire from track cycling following the Paris Olympics. However, his failure to win gold after being disqualified in the first round for overtaking the derny reignited his ambition to continue racing. Last month, he announced that he would train and compete independently as a professional cyclist.
New Straits Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Coach hopes to see bigger, stronger Izzah compete at World Championships
KUALA LUMPUR: National track cycling squad head coach Harnizam Basri is hoping to further strengthen rider Izzah Izzati Asri ahead of the World Championships in Santiago, Chile on Oct 22-26. Harnizam said Izzah's physique has vastly improved since she joined the national elite squad in early 2022 but made it clear there is still room for improvement. Maximising power-to-weight ratio is key for any track rider and is especially important for smaller riders such as Izzah, who stands at a diminutive 1.52 metres tall. "Izzah has gained a lot of muscle mass since she joined us a few years ago," said Harnizam recently. "When she started she was about 48 kilogrammes but now she has gone up to 52kg. "The goal is to get her to about 55kg by the World Championships, which I believe is an achievable goal. "We will, however, have to be careful when doing hypertrophy work with Izzah as her programme has been packed since last year and we do not want to risk any injuries." Izzah has been Malaysia's most outstanding female track rider in recent seasons. She won two gold, one silver and one bronze at the Asian Championships in February. Harnizam stressed that building muscle takes time and strength building programmes must be done in a way which develops the whole body. "I think in the past we focused too much on strengthening the lower body and rarely touched the upper body," said Harnizam. "This is because we did not want the upper body to become too bulky which would cause increased frontal (aerodynamic) drag. "But I believe the body needs to be balanced because we use the whole body when racing. So we will be doing upper body strength training as well to a certain extent. "Anyway, doing some strength work on the upper body will not cause you to become bulky up top overnight. It takes a long time to build mass." Harnizam added that the National Sports Institute provides the team with a strength and conditioning coach to oversee their gym programme. Izzah is expected to leave for a training-cum-competition stint in Germany at the end of June.
The Star
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
With several obstacles out of the way, M'sia led by Jun Hao out to impress in China
Men at the helm: Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh (top) are stepping in for injured Lee Zii Jia. PETALING JAYA: Will there be a new champion crowned this year as the Sudirman Cup gets underway this Sunday? It will be tough for Malaysia though, as China, South Korea and Japan seem to be the overwhelming favourites. The Badminton Association of Malaysia, however, believe they have named a strong line-up led by Leong Jun Hao, who have safely arrived in Xiamen, China, with the rest of the competing nations. This team are a far cry from the one Malaysia fielded during the Asian Mixed Team Championship campaign in Qingdao last February, which also served as the Sudirman Cup qualifier. Malaysia failed to get past the group stage in that tournament. Fortunately, the national team still secured a place in this year's Sudirman Cup based on their world ranking, currently standing at No. 4. In the lead-up to the tournament, the 10-day centralised training camp at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara went smoothly, with players working in harmony. The camp featured several professional players, including women's singles ace Goh Jin Wei, mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, and men's doubles duo Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani. Several internal issues were also resolved before the squad's departure to China, including the reconciliation between mixed doubles players Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, further strengthening Malaysia's options for the competition. The presence of newly appointed sports psychologist Lim Jin Xuan, on loan from the National Sports Institute (NSI), has also provided a timely boost, helping the players build the mental and emotional strength needed to face the challenges of the Sudirman Cup. 'I think so far, so good. I'm really looking forward to experiencing the main hall for the first time to see how the setup is there and how the arena will play out. I believe that's the very important next step,' said national singles coaching director, Kenneth Jonassen. 'Playing in a team event is slightly different. The intensity is higher, and momentum plays a key role when you're competing as a team. This also means that protecting your points is incredibly important. 'The focus in practice has been on creating the right intensity while ensuring each session is tailored to the individual needs of the players.' Malaysia have never lifted the Sudirman Cup since the tournament's inception in 1989. So far, only three countries have had the honour of winning the prestigious mixed team title namely Indonesia, China and South Korea. Malaysia's best performance in the tournament has been winning the bronze medal on three occasions which is in Guangzhou in 2009, followed by a 12-year gap before repeating the feat in Vantaa, Finland in 2021, and again in Suzhou in 2023.
CBC
05-02-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Shuttered after fire, Montreal's Olympic Park sports complex to finally reopen this month
The sprawling sports complex inside Montreal's Olympic Park is set to reopen on Feb. 24, after a fire forced it to close down over 10 months ago. Aquatic sports activities will resume the following week, on March 3, according to Jean Gosselin, a spokesperson for the complex, known as the National Sports Institute (INS). Lengthy decontamination work forced hundreds of elite athletes to train elsewhere since a fire broke out at the base of the Olympics Stadium tower on March 21, 2024. The fire affected an area that spanned 100,000 square metres and smoke infiltrated a ventilation network more than nine kilometres long. In April 2024, the provincial government approved a $40-million subsidy for the repairs. The sports complex will reopen to the public on March 31. Before its closure, between 250 and 350 athletes specializing in judo, diving, weightlifting and several Paralympic sports frequented the INS on a daily basis to train or receive medical services. Decontamination of the facility was initially scheduled to take between four and six months. In September, the park announced the reopening had been pushed to early 2025. "Smoke entered the INS sport centre and ventilation system, bringing and dispersing soot throughout the floors," said Olympic Park spokesperson Cédric Essiminy.
