Latest news with #SeaGames
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
MPC prepared to meet NSC 'in the middle'
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) team principal Sayuti Zahit is hoping they can come to a "win-win solution" with the National Sports Council (NSC) regarding funding for the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20). Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MCNF) president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill today (July 23) ordered the MNCF road cycling committee to prepare a new budget request for the Sea Games to be submitted to NSC by the end of the week. The new budget will take into consideration requests from TSG and MPC. Sayuti views the move positively. He attended a meeting to discuss preparations for the Sea Games together with representatives from NSC, MNCF and TSG in Bukit Jalil today. "I am grateful that everyone attended the meeting, especially the president (Amarjit). It shows that we are all working together to find a solution. Hopefully we will get a better outcome than before," said Sayuti. "Hopefully NSC will give us some leeway and meet us in the middle. We can compromise but let it be a win-win solution for all parties. "Once the new budget has been submitted we will wait to see what the counter-offer is like." NSC had early this year allocated RM300,000 to MNCF for road cycling though only RM196,000 remains after RM104,000 was spent on preparing and sending riders to compete at the Asian Championships in Thailand earlier this year. During a meeting with TSG, MPC and MNCF earlier this month, NSC had indicated that they were not keen on allocating additional funds for the Sea Games road cycling squad. MPC and Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) subsequently stated that they will not release their riders for the biennial games if NSC does not meet their requests for funding. MPC had also requested for new time trial bikes. TSG had previously requested RM250,000 from NSC to cover training and competition expenses (at warm up races) to prepare their riders for the Sea Games. It is understood that MPC had been seeking a similar amount. It is, however, unlikely either team will get the full amount they have requested.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
MNCF determined to resolve Sea Games road cycling funding issue
KUALA LUMPUR: There is still hope that professional riders from Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) and Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) will represent the country at this year's Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20). The two teams had previously stated that they will not release their riders for the biennial games if the National Sports Council (NSC) does not meet their requests for funding. MPC had also requested for new time trial bikes. The Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) today (July 23) announced that they will submit a new Sea Games budget to NSC within one week. The new budget will take into consideration requests from TSG and MPC. Representatives from NSC, MNCF, MPC and TSG attended a four-hour meeting in Bukit Jalil today to discuss preparations for the games. MNCF president president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill, technical director John Beasley and road cycling committee chairman Norazman Abu Samah were among those present. "I feel things are moving positively, there is nothing in this world that cannot be resolved through discussion," said Amarjit. "NSC have always had an open door policy and they are willing to consider any additional support required for the Sea Games. "I have asked the (MNCF) road committee to prepare a detailed budget for the Sea Games which we will submit within a week. We have to be quick because the Sea Game is just a few months away. "I believe most of the requests from TSG and MPC are acceptable. "I can't speak on behalf of NSC, however, I believe they will accept some of the requests but maybe not all. We are hoping for a positive outcome." TSG had previously requested RM250,000 from NSC to cover training and competition expenses (at warm up races) to prepare their riders for the Sea Games. It is understood that MPC had been seeking a similar amount. NSC had early this year allocated RM300,000 to MNCF for road cycling though only RM196,000 remains after RM104,000 was spent on preparing and sending riders to compete at the Asian Championships in Thailand earlier this year. Amarjit said the response from both professional teams was positive after the meeting. "I think they were both quite receptive, they understood the situation and that NSC also has constraints," said Amarjit. "When we left the meeting, everyone had smiles on their faces which is good. "At the end of the day, we just want to make sure we have the best riders representing the country at the Sea Games." Amarjit disclosed that nine riders have been shortlisted for the Sea Games squad - four from TSG, four from MPC and one from St George Continental Cycling Team. Ren Bao Tsen is currently on the books at St George, which is a UCI continental squad from Australia.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Azeem finishes fourth in men's 100m at Universiade
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's fastest man, Azeem Fahmi, came close to the podium at the World University Games in Bochum, Germany yesterday. The Perakian, who holds the national record of 10.09 seconds, finished fourth in the men's 100m final after clocking 10.35. South African Joy Walaza Bayanda won the gold (10.16), Thailand's Puripol Boonson (10.22) bagged the silver and Japan's Hiroki Yanagita (10.23) took the bronze. Azeem, who is studying at Auburn University, United States, has a season best of 10.20, Sea Games champion Umar Osman clocked 47.10 to finish seventh in the men's 400m semi-finals and failed to qualify for the final. Sea Games bronze medallist Farrell Glenn Felix Jurus of University of Malaysia Sabah, recorded 2.08m to finish sixth in the men's high jump qualifying rounds. He finished overall 14th out of 23 participants.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Azeem charges into World University Games semis
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's fastest man, Azeem Fahmi, won his heat to qualify for the 100m semi-finals in the World University Games at Bochum, Germany yesterday. The 21-year-old Auburn University student in Alabama, United States, clocked 10.57. He registered the 13th fastest time among 54 sprinters. Another Malaysian, Aliff Iman Fahmi clocked 11.09 to finish fifth in heat five. Thailand's Puripol Boonson achieved the fastest heat time of 10.23. Sea Games gold medallist Umar Osman qualified for the men's 400m semi-finals after posting 46.97 to finish fourth in heat four. In the men's 400m hurdles, Fakhrul Afizul Nasir timed 1:11.87 to finish eighth and last in heat two. Meanwhile, Olympian Azreen Nabila Alias of University Putra Malaysia registered 12.04 to finish seventh in the women's 100m heat four. Nur Afrina Batrisyia from UPM did not qualify for the women's 100m semi-finals after clocking 12.32 to finish fifth in heat three.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Keirin fate hangs in the balance ahead of September 1 deadline
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian track cyclists will have to wait until early September before knowing whether the men's keirin, team sprint and team pursuit events will be included at the Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20). September 1 is the deadline for rider registration for the games and each event needs to have riders from at least four nations registered to be able to run. An event will be scrapped if there are less than four nations competing. Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) secretary Arif Astaman admitted that the national body is waiting "with bated breath". "At the moment, the fate of these events still hangs in the balance," said Arif when contacted recently. "On a positive note, these events are included in the technical handbook for the games, but whether they will actually be held depends on the registration numbers. "We have been engaging our regional counterparts (to encourage participation in these events). "(Verbally) their response has been positive but there is no guarantee they will actually register their riders. "We have a good chance of winning gold in these events so we are definitely waiting for September 1 with bated breath." MNCF president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill had earlier in May said the three events are at risk of being scrapped due to a lack of interest from other nations. While road cycling is included in every edition of the Sea Games, track cycling is often left out as many Southeast Asian countries do not have suitable velodromes. Malaysia has world class track sprint riders in both the men's and women's and categories and events such as the keirin, individual sprint and team sprint events are essentially goldmines for Malaysia when they are held at the Sea Games. As a result, other Southeast Asian countries have been reluctant to compete in these events.
