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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- National sports associations welcomed the RM50 million allocation to prepare athletes for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling the 2013 Budget today. Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) deputy president Datuk Naim Mohamad said the 'big' allocation from the government would help inspire athletes in their search for the country's first ever Olympic gold. "The allocation of RM50 million for a four-year period under the 'Road to Rio' programme will ensure that all programmes carried out towards that goal will be fulfilled. "The announcement to build a new velodrome in Seremban will certainly give added inspiration to the sport of track cycling," he told Bernama Friday. He added that MNCF would be meeting the National Sports Council (NSC) on Oct 2, to discuss programmes for the 'Road to Rio'. Badminton Association of Malays...

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- The RM50 million allocation by the government to prepare athletes for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil can inject new blood among athletes in their quest for the first ever Olympic gold medal said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. Ahmad Shabery said the allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling the 2013 Budget today was beyond expectations and the biggest budget for a specific event. "This is the biggest allocation for the 2016 Olympics and it goes to show how serious the Prime Minister feels about sports development in the country. "He (Prime Minister) understands that sports is not just about winning medals but related to image, moral, unity of the people and an inspiration for youths to be involved in sports," he told reporters when met at Parliament here today. For the 'Road to London' programme, the allocation was RM20 million but Malaysia managed o...

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- The Youth and Sports ministry will focus on a long term training programme to prepare athletes to win the country's first ever gold medal in the Olympics. Its Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said though the ministry's immediate focus would be on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, there would also be a continuous programme for the 2020 Olympics. "Discussions with various relevant parties is aimed at focusing for the 2016 Olympics and the subsequent Olympics. "This is to ensure a continuous programme to develop and prepare athletes for the task," he said when answering Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) at the Dewan Rakyat here Monday. Shamsul had wanted to know the achievements and weaknesses identified at the 2012 London Olympics and the ministry's future plans.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- World number one shuttler, Datuk Lee Chong Wei and national swimmer Sow Yi Ting were selected as the Male Olympian and Female Olympian 2008 respectively at the Olympian Night held at Wisma OCM, here Friday night. Chong Wei, 26, was selected based on his achievement as the only Malaysian athlete to win a medal at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. The Bukit Mertajam-born athlete won the silver medal in the men's singles after losing to China's Lin Dan in the badminton final at the 2008 Olympics. The silver medal was the second won by Malaysian athletes at the Olympic Games with the first silver won by the badminton doubles pair of Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock at the Atlanta Olympic Games, United States in 1996. This was the first Olympian award for Chong Wei who was the sole nominee in his category. Chong Wei was not present to receive the award as he was in Alor Star, Kedah chasing a record seventh consecutive title in the National Badmint...

THE Sports Ministry has made it clear that badminton, cycling and archery will be the focus for the 2012 Olympics. Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the athletes concerned are on track and that badminton remains the sport to deliver a gold medal. "We are focusing only on archery, badminton and cycling for the London Olympics, and preparation did not start just today but five years ago. "The athletes progress from time to time and go through different phases in the development programme." said Ismail Sabri. "We do not want to focus on too many sports for the Olympics as we know our strength and weaknesses, so I think it's best we stick to our strength and try to achieve positive results." To ensure transparency regarding funds channeled to the National Sports Council (NSC) to prepare the athletes, Ismail Sabri said: "All costing for the respective events is done in consultation with the NSC. "We also have a...

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet Committee on Sports Development's (CCSD) decision to focus on three types of sports at the 2012 Olympics in London is realistic, based on the country's statistics and records, said the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM). OCM secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said based on their records of participation in the Olympics, badminton, cycling and archery were the events capable of bringing home the gold since Malaysia first joined in 1956. "These three sporting events have the best achievement and statistics as compared to other sports at the Olympic level," he said when contacted by Bernama here Tuesday. He said this when asked to comment on CCSD's decision yesterday to focus on badminton, cycling and archery, as events capable of winning Malaysia's first gold medal at the Olympics. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also CCSD chairman, said Malaysia would focus on sports that could win gold, inst...

From a tender age, students at Bukit Jalil Sports School are groomed to become world-class athletes and the sports trailblazers of tomorrow. Warming up exercises are essential to avoid injury. WHAT separates Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) students from their counterparts in other schools is not the lack of academic proficiency but rather, the shift of emphasis. BJSS students balance rigorous physical training and academia in a tight schedule, in their quest to achieve excellence in the sports arena. It’s an issue that is given top priority in the national agenda. While older folks may reminisce on the glory days of sports in yesteryears, BJSS students are fired up with only one passion — to leap to fame and glory, much in the footsteps of the Thomas Cup class of 1992 or more recently, world squash champion Datuk Nicol David. The right leadership BJSS is administered by the Education Ministry’s Physical Education and Sports Division. Located in the National Sports Complex com...

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Youth and Sports are expected to announce the types of sports identified and target set for the 2012 London Olympics after meeting the Cabinet Committee for Sports Development (CabComm) in December. Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Dec 1, recommendations and resolutions adopted during the National Sports Convention would be submitted to the CabComm for approval. "Upon submission and approval to the CabComm, we will be able to outline a definite road-Map to London," he told Bernama after chairing a National Sports Council (NSC) management meeting here, Wednesday. Malaysia must carefully plan a programme to ensure that athletes win the country's first Olympic gold medal, after having won two silver and two bronze medals from badminton throughout Malaysia's participation in the Olympics, he said. Apart from badminton, cycling (track) and archery are seen as prospective sports that can co...

By Zulhilmi Supaat KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Two of the 19 events competed by Malaysian athletes during the Beijing Olympics that ended in August have yet to submit their performance reports to the National Sports Council (NSC). NSC Director-General Datuk Zolkples Embong said NSC were still waiting for reports from women's pole vault and sailing while diving reports had to be translated from Mandarin. "All the other reports that we received had been submitted to the Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday. Initially we had wanted to submit all the reports but since reports of the two events have not come, we decided to submit those received," he told Bernama here today. Zolkples said he was not sure if NSC would ever receive both reports as pole vault coach Gennady Potapovich's contract was terminated after the Olympics while sailor Dr Kevin Lim (no coach) had retired after the Olympics. Ismail Sabri had earlier expressed disa...