Skip to main content

Bryan shocks his coach

ORMER world junior champion Bryan Nickson Lomas has suddenly quit the national diving team, citing studies as the main reason.

His stunning decision is a huge blow to national coach Yang Zhuliang, who sees him as one of the most talented divers in his squad.

Bryan, a three-time Olympian, was initially granted six-month leave in January to focus in his pursuit of a sports science degree at Universiti Malaya with the understanding that he will train on a part-time basis.

However, Bryan made an about-turn by handing over his resignation letter to the National Sports Council (NSC) last Tuesday.

"NSC has accepted my resignation letter. I quit because I want to focus on my studies. However, I may return upon graduation in two years' time if the team still need me. I will continue to train and keep fit," said Bryan yesterday.

"I want to complete my degree first... it is priority. I have seen athletes struggling with studies because of training. I know a female athlete, who has yet to complete her degree after eight years. I do not want to end up like that."

"I have not officially informed the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia and Zhuliang. I will do so either Friday (tomorrow) or Monday."

Bryan, 23, who made his Olympic debut at the 2004 Athens edition, made a breakthrough by winning Malaysia's first ever World Cup medal, a bronze, with Huang Qiang in the 3-metre springboard synchro in London last year.

He has also won several medals in the Sea Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games and is the first Malaysian gold medallist at the World Junior Championships, achieved in Brisbane nine years ago.

Bryan was supposed to report for training next month and prepare for his fifth straight Sea Games in Myanmar in December. By Ajitpal Singh

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

Rajagobal Let Off The Hook

PETALING JAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- National head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal was let off the hook by the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) Disciplinary Committee after finding no evidence that he had violated FAM's Article 88, as claimed. FAM Disciplinary Committee chairman Datuk Taufik Abdul Razak said the committee had decided not to charge Rajagobal after carefully analysing the video of the post-match press conference by the 56-year-old coach. "After listening to the recording of the post-match press conference, we decided to drop the charge against Rajagopal as he did not make such a statement. "Maybe his (Rajagobal) assessment and comments of the match was misconstrued by the media. There was no mention of the FAM policy throughout his comments," said Taufik after emerging from a three-hour Disciplinary Committee meeting at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya, here, Wednesday. Rajagobal who does not mince his words when asked to com...
4 comments
Read more