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Toss-up between Chong Wei, Azizul

CYCLIST Azizul Hasni Awang is poised to strongly challenge World No 1 shuttler Lee Chong Wei for the 2009 Sportsman of the Year award in Kuala Lumpur today.
Azizul Hasni Awang (pic left) and Lee Chong Wei are the leading contenders for the 2009 Sportsman of the Year award.
Azizul Hasni Awang (pic left) and Lee Chong Wei are the leading contenders for the 2009 Sportsman of the Year award.
Squash player Nicol David, with a strong showing last year, looks set to win her seventh Sportswoman award.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Nur Zahirah, will grace the function in Kuala Lumpur.

Azizul, known as "Pocket Rocket", created history last year by being the first Malaysian to win a World Championships silver medal.

The Terengganu-born achieved it in the Poland edition by coming out second in the 200 metre sprint.

He silenced his doubters by making an impact in the World Cup by winning the keirin title in the Beijing and Melbourne stops.
As for Chong Wei, he is regarded as one of the most consistent players in the world.

The 28-year-old, after the defeat to China's Lin Dan in the final of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, went on a mission to make an impression last year.

The World No 1 did it in style by earning seven titles including Super Series events in Malaysia, Indonesia and Switzerland.

However, the absence of a world level medal for Chong Wei last year gives Azizul a slight edge.

Apart from Chong Wei and Azizul, Sazali Samad (bodybuilding), Loh Jack Chang (wushu), Zulmazran Zulkifli (tenpin bowling), Mohd Hatta Mahamut (karate) and Daniel Bego (swimming) are also in the running in the men's category.

Nicol has brought a new dimension to women's squash with a super-fit style of game.

She is likely to be picked over bowler Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and women's badminton pair Wong Pei Tty-hin Eei Hui for the Sportswoman of the Year crown.

The Penang-born player won seven titles last year including the Women's World Open, Texas Open, the Kaohsiung World Games and the CIMB Malaysian Open.

Siti Safiyah Amirah, 19, made headlines by winning the World Ranking Masters last May.


As for Pei Tty-Eei Hui, they achieved a significant first for Malaysia by being the World No 1 on the women's doubles rankings briefly.
The pair also won the women's team and doubles titles in last year's Laos Sea Games.

The other nominees are Fateha Mustafa (cycling), Siow Yi Ting (swimming) and Noraseela Mohd Khaled (athletics).

The Best Men's and Women's teams, Best Coach (men and women), Leadership award, special awards and Best Paralympic Sportsman and Sportswoman awards will also be presented today.- NST

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