Day: June 22, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, National sprinters Muhammad Azeem Fahmi and Shereen Samson Vallabouy kept their Paris Olympics dreams alive after they qualified for the finals of their respective events at the Kazakhstan Open, scheduled to take place tonight.

Fahmi won the third heat of the men’s 100 metre (m) with a time of 10.61 seconds (s), ahead of Turkish sprinter Ertan Okzan (10.72s) while Vitaliy Zems of Kazakhstan finished third with 10.84s.

Shereen meanwhile romped into the finals of the women’s 400m after winning the first heat with a time of 54.16s, beating Anna Shumilo (56.58s) and (57.76s), both of Kazakhstan.

Our national sprinters will need to emerge victorious in tonight’s finals for them to have a shot at appearing in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is set to further expand the Puteri (Girls’) Under-15 Football League in a mission to develop more new talents to enhance the quality of women’s football in the country.

FAM’s Women’s Football Committee, Datuk Suraya Yaacob said she does not rule out the possibility of increasing the prize money to attract more teams to join the league.

‘I hope more teams will join this league in the future. This year, nine teams participated, and next year we hope for more than 10 to join.

‘With more teams participating, the league will be longer, and the prize money will certainly be higher. We have to wait for the committee meeting regarding the increase in prize money,’ she said.

She said this when met by reporters after the closing ceremony of the Puteri U-15 Football League at the PKNS Sports Complex Field here today.

Suraya also said that FAM will intensify efforts to empower women’s football by collaborating with the Ministry of Education Malaysia (KPM) t
his July.

‘If today we can successfully implement the Puteri League, which has been going well for over four weeks, we believe we can create even younger categories in the future, producing more players and allowing them to compete at various levels every year.

“Next month, we will organise a collaboration between FAM and KPM, which shows that many schools will be involved and have both boys’ and girls’ football teams,’ she said.

The 2024 Puteri U-15 League Championship saw SSS Leopard FC crowned as the overall champions after accumulating 21 points from eight matches over eight weeks, taking home a prize of RM15,000.

The runner-up was Velocity Academy, taking home RM10,000 after collecting 20 points, while third place went to Melaka with 17 points, bringing home RM5,000.

Velocity Academy player Putri Mia Alysa Ahmad Zakiyamani, 13, was the top scorer and named the most valuable player of the tournament, receiving a trophy and RM2,000 in prize money.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PARIT, A whole new generation of Malaysians were delighted as they tried their hand at various traditional games featured in the 2024 Perak Tengah Sukan Bendang Carnival held here today.

Perak Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah said that around 3,000 visitors and participants showed up to get a first hand look and experience the various forms of simple sports at the carnival, organised by the Perak Tengah Land and District Office, and other agencies, including the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) and Tourism Perak.

‘It’s been seven years since such a carnival was held, due to various obstacles and constraints. Thankfully with the cooperation of various parties, we can do it this year.

‘What’s interesting about this year’s carnival is that there are various types of events, including bendang football, tiang licin, and meniti basikal and participants are not only local residents but university and college students,’ he said when met at the carniv
al today, adding that the carnival not only brings back local traditions and culture for the youth, but it is part of the Visit Perak Year 2024 campaign.

A Nigerian student of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Abubakar Aji, 35, who was able to get a first-hand experience playing the games at the carnival, could barely hold back his excitement, stating that it was not only a fun activity but allowed him to understand Malay culture better.

‘I’m here with my other friends, including those from Pakistan dan Bangladesh, and I can feel the excitement and fun because for my whole life, I’ve never seen such games, what more experience these games myself out here in the green fields,’ he said.

Another carnival participant, Ahmad Shamil Mohamed, 44, shared that being part of the games brought back nostalgic memories of school and his childhood.

‘As a Kampung Senin boy, I feel that it’s my loss if I don’t join this carnival.

‘When playing bendang football, those happy times I had playing in the mud and swimming
in the canals all come flooding back,’ he said, smilingly.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) is seeking additional funding from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) to upgrade the courts at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil to a much more higher standard.

SRAM president Gerard Monteiro said the squash courts at the venue have not been upgraded since 1998 and are currently undergoing upgrades, including a new roof and ventilation system.

“We still hope to finish by the middle of next year. We are trying to get some budget from KBS for us to change the courts, especially noting that in the recent World Tournament in Eygpt the flooring are glass already.

‘While the game changes and evolves we need to keep up with the times if we want to make sure our players remain competitive at the world stage,’ he told reporters after the SRAM Annual General Meeting (AGM) here today.

Gerard said the 10 existing singles training courts at the National Squash Centre will soon have glass flooring according to the latest international standar
ds.

‘We believe it should happen even if the allocation from KBS is for next year, but we are hopeful for the additional funds,’ he said.

Earlier, at the AGM, the sports governing body’s incumbents retained all key positions for the 2024-2025 term.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, After a seven-year drought, Wan Zarif Ikram brought smiles back to the national camp when he won the gold medal in the boys’ Masters at the 23rd Asian Junior Tenpin Bowling Championships at Sunway Mega Lanes here today.

The 17-year-old kegler, who was making his second appearance in the under-18 tournament, defeated Hong Kong’s Jovi Ma (385 points) after recording a total of 427 pinfalls while the bronze medal went to his countryman Ethan Damien Goh in a step-ladder final of the top three bowlers.

Never giving up hope, backup athlete Wan Zarif admitted that going down to blitz the lanes with a champion’s mentality helped him book a top podium finish in front of home fans.

Starting off in today’s second block of eight games, Wan Zarif was lying fourth overnight behind overall leader Ethan Damien, who won five of eight games in Friday’s first block to lead the field of 16 boys.

‘I never thought it possible because from day one, I worked hard in the boys’ Singles but it didn’t work out. I was
indeed depressed, (but) I didn’t give up the fight. Then my success in winning the Masters today. I have to say ‘thank you’ to all who gave me their support.

‘After this, I will participate in the Malaysia Games (SUKMA XXI in Sarawak in August), representing Terengganu. I am targeting the Singles, All Events and Masters,’ Wan Zarif said.

National youth squad coach Alex Liew was ecstatic when his lads shone in the Masters, which Malaysia last won through Tun Ameerul Hakim at the 2017 Asian Juniors edition in Kuching, Sarawak.

‘We reminded Wan Zarif to stay calm and not rush his game. He did well and I am very happy with the overall result. I was disappointed with the earlier boys’ Team event because we had problems, and this is like payback time to get a gold medal back,’ he said.

The victory saw Malaysia close their campaign with a tally of three gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Malaysia won two gold medals earlier in the girls’ All Events through Afiqah Kamilia Ali, who also helped Intan Nor Ed
ryana Nor Azliman, Nur Ainul Hayat Ad Nor and Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee (in team Malaysia A) to win the girls’ Team event with 4,720 pinfalls, 40 pins ahead of two Singapore teams in second and third places.

The two silver medals were contributed by Intan Nor Edryana (girls’ All Events) and the Malaysia B boys’ team (4,917 pinfalls) of Amin Zulkarnain Zulkifli, Eldred Kho Yek Zhen, Muhammad Aiman ??Syahin and Muhammad Aqil Faizal, who lost to winners Australia A (4,969 pinfalls) by 52 pins. Australia B took bronze with 4,846 pinfalls.

The two bronze medals came from Ethan Damian in boys’ Singles (won by Singapore’s Mark Leong) and Qurratu’ain Izdihar Mohd Pozi in girls’ Singles (won by Singapore’s Nura Salsibila Zulkifli).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency