Day: June 23, 2024

TANJUNG MALIM, The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in the fields of education and research to comprehensively develop sports in the country.

OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said that the collaboration is timely as UPSI offers relevant study courses for national athletes and possesses internationally recognised facilities.

“This collaboration also involves research aspects in sports, an area where we currently lack specific studies that can truly contribute to the advancement of sports,” he told reporters after the MoU signing ceremony and the World Olympic Day 2024 celebration held here today.

He emphasised that the partnership is expected to add value to both parties while contributing to enhancing the quality and standards of sports in the country.

Meanwhile, UPSI Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff said that this collaboration presents a significant opportunity to assist the country
in producing athletes capable of achieving recognition at the Olympic Games.

“At UPSI, we are committed to providing all our sports facilities to sports associations in the country,” he said, adding that athletes are encouraged to pursue their studies at UPSI.

Md Amin also highlighted that this effort can enhance educational knowledge for athletes interested in coaching and become catalysts for nurturing new talents at the school level.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TANJUNG MALIM, The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) will be banking on athletes from five sports to deliver medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug 11.

OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said badminton, cycling, diving, archery and sailing have the potential to deliver the goods for the national contingent.

“Our athletes in these sports have a good prospect of contributing the gold medal at the world’s biggest multi-sports Games and that – the gold medal – is our primary objective.

“Winning just one Olympic gold medal feels different to winning 10 Olympic silver medals. So, surely, we are gunning for gold,’ he told a media conference after the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the OCM and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and the International Olympic Day 2024 celebration.

Also present were UPSI vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff and Malaysian chef de mission to the Paris Olympics Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.

But, Mohamad Norza
said, that doesn’t mean the other sports can just take it easy as they too are seen as being able to etch their name at the Olympics.

“All the athletes have qualified for the Olympics, which means they too stand a chance to win a medal. After all, they have been striving for four years to reach this high level, so they will surely do their best to ensure they do not become mere ‘passengers’.

“Everyone who calls himself or herself an athlete dreams of qualifying for the Olympics, so now that they have reached it, we will give them all the support they need so that they can produce their best in Paris,’ he said.

He added that all the athletes are in peak condition to challenge for medals at the Games.

“Some of our athletes are already there as part of their final lap of preparations. Some of the sports also have their own plans. Our advice is to be careful with their preparations to avoid any injuries.

“I hope all the athletes will be in the best shape and free from injuries ahead of the Games,’ he said.

Earlier, about 5,000 participants comprising UPSI students and staff and the community around Muallim joined in the International Olympic Day 2024 celebration, which was held simultaneously in over 200 other countries, and aimed at igniting a collection passion for the Paris Olympic Games.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TANJUNG MALIM, Former national diver and world champion Cheong Jun Hoong, 34, has not ruled out the possibility of returning to the national diving fold as a coach at a later stage.

Jun Hoong, who officially announced her retirement in January 2022, said she has yet to seriously consider the matter as her focus now is to complete her studies in communications at a local institution of higher learning.

“I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss it (diving). It’s just that right now I am not thinking about becoming a coach. But once I’ve completed my studies, I might give it a shot, if there is an opening.

“I am always open to opportunities and am ready to serve the country, which has helped me become a world champion. But, for now, I want to try many things which I never could when I was an athlete,’ she said when met by Bernama today.

Jun Hoong, who hails from Ipoh, created history when she became the country’s first diver to win the world title in the 10m individual platform at the 2017 World Championships in
Budapest, Hungary.

Commenting on the performance of the current national divers, she admitted that there has been a dip in terms of their achievement, describing it as something normal.

“I am sure they will bounce back, courtesy of the ongoing programmes and training sessions being carried out by the coaches,’ she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, A total of 27 teams – 15 men’s side and 12 women’s outfits – will battle it out in the Malaysia Hockey5s League (Men and Women) 2024 championships at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on July 16-20.

Hockey5s and High-Performance Committee chairman Hasnizam Hassan is pleased with the increased participation compared to the 2023 edition where only 11 teams took part in the men’s category and seven in the women’s section.

He said this year’s league will be a platform for the Hockey5s Committee to assess the players to be roped into the national team for the invitational tournament in Russia on Aug 15-20 and the Sixth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand on Nov 25-30.

“The difference with this third edition is that, although it is an open category, we have stipulated that each team must register three players aged 23 and below. This is to ensure we achieve our objective, which is to develop the sport of hockey5s (five-a-side hockey) in preparation for th
e 2028 World Cup.

“Although the next World Cup will be in 2028, we must make early preparations because these players aged 23 and below will need to gain as much exposure and experience as possible,’ he said in a statement issued by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) today.

This year’s tournament format will see the men’s and women’s teams divided into two groups.

For the men, Group A will have Pahang, Penang, Melaka, PDRM, Perlis, Sarawak and Perak while Group B will comprise ATM, Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Kedah.

For the women, Group C will consist of Selangor, Penang, PDRM, Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak and Johor; while Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, ATM, Melaka, Kelantan and Perak will make up Group D.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) are hoping that the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) will immediately seek the Cabinet’s approval regarding Sarawak’s offer to co-host the 2027 SEA Games.

OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said this would ensure early preparations could be carried out.

“After the government rejected the hosting of the Commonwealth Games, I, as the OCM president, was the first individual to pay a courtesy call to Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah to discuss the matter (2027 SEA Games).

“We have Sarawak’s commitment and they are willing to share half of the cost of hosting the Games, estimated at between RM700 million and RM750 million and perhaps the conditions may have been clarified by the Premier (Abang Johari) himself and I think it’s a good sign. I am confident KBS will immediately bring this matter to the Cabinet for approval,’ he said after the
closing ceremony of the International Olympic Day celebration here today.

In Kuching earlier today, Sarawak said it was ready to cost the 2027 SEA Games and proposed that the opening ceremony be held in the Land of the Hornbills.

Abang Johari had also said that Sarawak is prepared to share the hosting costs of the 2027 SEA Games with the Federal government.

It was previously reported that the KBS was studying the impact of hosting the 2027 SEA Games and would present its findings to the Cabinet next month, after SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) Council members unanimously agreed in May 2022 to award the hosting rights to Malaysia.

Malaysia has hosted the biennial Games six times: in 1965, 1971, 1977, 1989, 2001 and 2017, all of which took place in the Klang Valley.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Norza said OCM have not decided who will be the flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the July 26-Aug 11 Paris Olympics.

Earlier today, the Paris-bound contingent’s official attire was introduced at the closing ceremony of the
International Olympic Day celebration here.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency