Bitah, baju kurung, abah-abah dan K-Pop

Tahun lalu majalah digital Arena menemu ramah Nur Dhabitah Sabri, dengan membawa kelainan. Kami meminta pelajar Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil itu mengenakan baju kurung untuk segmen Sepetang Bersama...

Tentunya temu bual ini diadakan lama sebelum Bitah mencuri perhatian di Rio de Janeiro...

Lakaran Jason, foto Johanif.

PROFIL NUR DHABITAH SABRI
Tarikh lahir: 12 Julai, 1999
Asal: Kuala Lumpur Keluarga: Anak bongsu daripada empat beradik
Tinggi: 152sm Berat: 45kg
Pencapaian: Pingat emas 3m papan anjal seirama dan gangsa 10m platform seirama Kejohanan Grand Prix Dunia FINA di Kuala Lumpur 2014, gangsa 10m platform seirama Sukan Komanwel Glasgow 2014, ketujuh 3m papan anjal seirama Piala Dunia Shanghai 2014, pingat emas 10m platform seirama Sukan SEA Myanmar 2013, dua pingat emas Piala Terjun Asia Singapura 2013, pingat emas 1m dan 3m papan anjal Kejohanan Akuatik Asia Tenggara 2012, pingat emas 3m papan anjal individu dan seirama Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) Kuantan 2012, pingat emas 1m papan anjal individu Kejohanan MSSM 2009, pingat gangsa 3m papan anjal seirama Sukma Terengganu 2008

Oleh Rizal Hashim

SENARAI pencapaian Nur Dhabitah Sabri cukup panjang sejak kali pertama menerjunkan dirinya ke dalam bidang yang kini melonjakkan namanya sebagai puteri terjun.

Pada usia 10 tahun gadis cilik yang lebih mesra dengan gelaran Bitah ini sudah merasa nikmat kemenangan. Pusat Akuatik Darul Ehsan di Shah Alam menjadi saksi Nur Dhabitah menjulang nama Putrajaya pada 2009.

Namanya tercatat selaku pemenang pingat emas pertama untuk Putrajaya di peringkat kejohanan akuatik Majlis Sukan Sekolah-sekolah Malaysia (MSSM) dengan kejayaan merangkul kemenangan acara 1m papan anjal individu.

Terbukti benar naluri bapanya, Sabri Hashim, seorang guru di Putrajaya, untuk mengalih perhatian anaknya daripada renang kepada acara terjun pada usia lapan tahun selepas mengambil kira susuk tubuhnya.

Kini dengan reputasi sebagai juara Sukma, pemenang pingat emas di peringkat Asia Tenggara dan penyumbang pingat untuk kontinjen negara di Sukan Komanwel, Nur Dhabitah adalah ratu dalam pembikinan.

Anugerah Puteri MSSM Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia yang diraih baru-baru ini sekadar mengesahkan kedudukan Nur Dhabitah selaku pewaris mutlak posisi Pandelela Rinong dan Leong Mun Yee sebagai simbol kebanggaan acara terjun negara.

Namun di luar zon kehebatannya, Nur Dhabitah sama seperti gadis remaja lain yang menggemari muzik K-Pop dan sesekali menari mengikut rentaknya.

"Banyak masa saya tertumpu kepada latihan. Pelbagai rutin yang dilalui setiap hari sama ada di kolam atau di gimnasium. Untuk meredakan ketegangan, saya suka mendengar lagu,” kata Nur Dhabitah, pelajar Tingkatan Empat Asia di Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil (SSBJ).

Anak bongsu daripada empat beradik ini mempunyai aura positif dan bersifat periang, sesuai dalam menangani status selaku atlet elit.

Didedahkan dengan corak latihan keras di bawah pemantauan Qi Xianhua di Kompleks Akuatik di Cheras sejak usia lapan tahun, Nur Dhabitah muncul kali pertama di khalayak kebangsaan pada usia sembilan tahun di Sukma Terengganu pada 2008.

Hasilnya, pingat gangsa diraih dalam 3m papan anjal seirama di sisi Loh Zhiayi (gadis muka depan Arena edisi ini).

“Dalam terjun pesertanya kena menguasai kemahiran asas seperti berdiri, melompat dan pendaratan seawal boleh. Jika di gim, kami menghabiskan banyak masa bergantung di abah-abah keselamatan, lompat trampolin dan terjun.

“Kami berlatih dua kali sehari, pada pagi dan awal petang,” kata Nur Dhabitah.

Beruntung kerana ditemani abangnya Muhammad Danial yang mewakili negara sebelum mengundur diri gara-gara jangkitan di telinga, Nur Dhabitah menyifatkan keluarganya sebagai pendorong.

Nur Dhabitah sedar tanpa pengorbanan bapanya Sabri dan ibunya, Fazidah Jaafar, penolong pengarah Bahagian Pendidikan Swasta, Kementerian Pendidikan, yang sentiasa berada di sisinya di saat susah dan senang, tidak mungkin dia mengecap kejayaan sejauh ini.

Ini ditambah kata-kata perangsang kakaknya, Nur Safura dan abangnya, Muhammad Safuan, kedua-duanya bertugas di sebuah institusi pengajian swasta.

“Mak dan Ayah tidak putus-putus beri galakan. Adanya abang dalam disiplin yang sama memudahkan saya memberi tumpuan,” katanya.

Di kala Danial melupakan terus kerjaya sukan, Nur Dhabitah meneruskan perjuangan memburu impian ke Sukan Olimpik.

“Selain buru tempat ke Rio de Janeiro, saya menghadapi Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) tahun depan. Saya kena fokus,” katanya yang mendapat 2A pada Sistem Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) tahun lalu.

Tidak kisah sama ada platform atau papan anjal, Nur Dhabitah menyerap segala teknik dan tunjuk ajar Zhang Yukun dan Yang Zhuliang dalam memajukan dirinya.

“Selain pelbagai rutin yang dipelajari, kami didedahkan dengan darjah kesukaran untuk meraih mata.”

Sejauh ini Nur Dhabitah sudah melakar nama selaku peserta paling muda menjuarai acara di peringkat antarabangsa dengan kejayaan di Kejohanan Akuatik Asia Tenggara di Singapura pada 2012 selain mengutip pengalaman bersaing di Grand Prix Dunia FINA, Piala Dunia, Sukan Asia dan Sukan Komanwel.

Laluan sudah terbentang untuk Nur Dhabitah menyusuri jejak Pandelela, pemenang pingat gangsa Sukan Olimpik 2012. Semoga sukses, Bitah.

Post-Rio analysis

A year before we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Merdeka, and on the 60th anniversary of our first foray into the Olympic Games in Melbourne 1956, the contingent returned home from the Rio Olympics with their finest haul, four silver and one bronze to finish 60th in the medal tally.

While we finished behind Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore, we did beat India - the world's fastest growing economy.

The elusive gold will be won in Tokyo, no two ways about it. In order to dissect the contingent's performance objectively, loose cannon offers an analysis on where we stand statistically against the best in Asia and the region.

WEIGHTLIFTING

MOHD HAFIFI MANSOR 
AGE: 25 years, 10 months
EVENT: 69kg
PERFORMANCE: Snatch 140kg, Clean and jerk 176kg, total 316kg, national record, 12th of 20 participants
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Shi Ziyong (China) 352kg
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 3rd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Shi Ziyong (China) 352kg
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Triyatno (Indonesia) 317kg
PREVIOUS BEST:

BADMINTON

DATUK LEE CHONG WEI 
AGE: 33 years, 10 months
EVENT: Men’s singles
PERFORMANCE: Silver medal
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Chen Long (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 2nd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Chen Long (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Lee Chong Wei (silver) London 2012

TAN WEE KIONG-GOH V SHEM 
AGE: 27 years, 3 months/27 years, 3 months
EVENT: Men’s doubles
PERFORMANCE: Silver medal
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Zhang Nan-Fu Haifeng (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 2nd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Zhang Nan-Fu Haifeng (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Wee Kiong-V Shem
PREVIOUS BEST: Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock (silver) Atlanta 1996

TEE JING YI 
AGE: 25 years, 6 months
EVENT: Women’s singles
PERFORMANCE: Group stage
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Carolina Marin (Spain)
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Pusarla V Sindhu (India)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Thailand) quarterfinals
PREVIOUS BEST: Tee Jing Yi (group stage) London 2012

VIVIAN HOO-WOON KHE WEI 
AGE: 26 years, 5 months/27 years, 5 months
EVENT: Women’s doubles
PERFORMANCE: Quarterfinals, losing to eventual gold medallists
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Misaki Matsutomo-Ayashi Takahashi (Japan)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: Joint 4th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Misaki Matsutomo-Ayashi Takahashi (Japan)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Hoo-Khe Wei/Greysia Polii-Nitya Krishinda Maheshwari (Indonesia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Chin Ee Hui-Wong Pei Tty (second round) Athens 2004

CHAN PENG SOON-GOH LIU YING 
AGE: 28 years, 4 months/27 years, 3 months
EVENT: Mixed doubles
PERFORMANCE: Silver medal
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 2nd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (group stage) London 2012

GOLF
(Back after 112 years)

DANNY CHIA
AGE: 43 years, 9 months
EVENT: Men’s Individual Stroke Play
PERFORMANCE: 48th of 60 golfers, 73, 70, 76, 69 (288)
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Justin Rose (GBR)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 9th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand)

GAVIN KYLE GREEN
AGE: 22 years, 8 months
EVENT: Men’s Individual Stroke Play
PERFORMANCE: 47th of 60 golfers, 74, 75, 72, 68 (287)
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Justin Rose (GBR)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 7th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand)

KELLY TAN
AGE: 22 years, 10 months
EVENT: Women’s Individual Stroke Play
PERFORMANCE: 51st of 59 golfers, 78, 70, 76, 73 (297)
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Park In Bee (Korea)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 13th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Park In Bee (Korea)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Pornanong Phatlum (Thailand)

MICHELLE KOH
AGE: 25 years, 11 months
EVENT: Women’s Individual Stroke Play
PERFORMANCE: 58th from 59 golfers, 79, 71, 76, 82 (308)
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Park In Bee (Korea)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 14th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Park In Bee (Korea)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Pornanong Phatlum (Thailand)

CYCLING

AZIZULHASNI AWANG
AGE: 28 years, 1 month
EVENT: Men’s keirin
PERFORMANCE: Bronze medal
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Jason Kenny (GBR)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 1st
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Azizulhasni Awang (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Josiah Ng (6th) Athens 2004, Azizulhasni Awang (6th) London 2012

FATEHAH MUSTAPA 
AGE: 27 years, 5 months
EVENT: Women’s sprint
PERFORMANCE: 21st of 27 cyclists, 11.207s, top 18 qualified for heats
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Kristina Vogel (Germany)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 4th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Zhong Tianshi (China) in final standings, Lee Wai Sze (Hong Kong) fastest qualifier
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Fatehah Mustapa (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: None

ARCHERY

KHAIRUL ANUAR MOHAMAD
AGE: 24 years, 11 months
EVENT: Men’s individual and team
PERFORMANCE: 22nd in ranking round, lost to Florian Floto (Germany) in second round/lost to France in last 16
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Ku Bonchan (Korea)/South Korea (team)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 9th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Ku Bonchan (Korea)/South Korea (team)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Khairul Anuar Mohamad (Malaysia)/Indonesia (quarterfinals)
PREVIOUS BEST: Cheng Chu Sian (quarterfinals) Beijing 2008 and Khairul Anuar Mohamad (quarterfinals) London 2012/team (quarterfinals) Beijing 2008


HAZIQ KAMARUDDIN
AGE: 23 years, 1 month
EVENT: Men’s individual/team event
PERFORMANCE: First round defeat to Zach Garrett (US)/first round defeat to France
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Ku Bonchan (Korea)/South Korea (team)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 18th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Ku Bonchan (Korea)/South Korea (team)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Khairul Anuar Mohamad (Malaysia)/Indonesia (quarterfinals)
PREVIOUS BEST: Cheng Chu Sian (quarterfinals) Beijing 2008 and Khairul Anuar Mohamad (quarterfinals) London 2012/team (quarterfinals) Beijing 2008

AKMAL NOR NASRIN
AGE: 21 years, 1 month
EVENT: Men’s individual/team event
PERFORMANCE: First round defeat to Juan Ignacio Rodriguez (Spain)/first round defeat to France RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 19th
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Ku Bonchan (Korea)/South Korea (team)
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Ku Bonchan (Korea)/South Korea (team)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Khairul Anuar Mohamad (Malaysia)/Indonesia (quarterfinals)
PREVIOUS BEST: Cheng Chu Sian (quarterfinals) Beijing 2008 and Khairul Anuar Mohamad (quarterfinals) London 2012/team (quarterfinals) Beijing 2008

SHOOTING

JOHNATHAN WONG
AGE: 24 years
EVENT: Men’s 10m air pistol, 50m pistol
PERFORMANCE: 28th of 46 shooters in 10m air pistol, 37th of 41 shooters in 50m pistol EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Hoang Xuan Vinh (Vietnam)/Jin Jongoh (Korea)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 13th in 10m, 15th in 50m
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Hoang Xuan Vinh (Vietnam)/Jin Jongoh (Korea)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Hoang Xuan Vinh (Vietnam)/Hoang Xuan Vinh (Vietnam) silver
PREVIOUS BEST: None/Sabiamad Abdul Ahad (537) Los Angeles 1984


ATHLETICS

NAURAJ SINGH
AGE: 24 years, 7 months
EVENT: Men’s high jump
PERFORMANCE: 2.26m from Group B, did not make the cut to final on countback
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 3rd
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Derek Drouin (Canada) 2.38m
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar) 2.36m
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Nauraj Singh (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Lee Hup Wei (2.20m) Beijing 2008


ZAIDATUL HUSNIAH ZULKIFLI
AGE: 23 years
EVENT: Women’s 100m
PERFORMANCE: 12.12 sec in qualifying, 12.62s in preliminary
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Elaine Thompson (Jamaica) 10.71s
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 11th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Wei Yongli (Chn) 11.48s, Round 1, Heat 1
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Annie Choong (Heats) 12.5s Melbourne 1956

SAILING 

KHAIRULNIZAM AFFENDY 
AGE: 23 years, 3 months
EVENT: Laser Men
PERFORMANCE: 35th of 46 sailors
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Tom Burton (Australia)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 3rd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Ha Jeemin (Korea) 12th
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Khairulnizam Affendy (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Kevin Lim (22nd) Sydney 2000

NUR SHAZRIN LATIF 
AGE: 18 years, 6 months
EVENT: Radial female
PERFORMANCE: 33rd from 37 sailors
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Marit Bouwmeester (Netherlands)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 5th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Xu Lijia (China) 18th
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Elizabeth Yin (Singapore) 26th
PREVIOUS BEST: None


SWIMMING

WELSON SIM
AGE: 19 years, 5 months
EVENT: Men’s 200m, 400m and 1,500m freestyle
PERFORMANCE: 1.47.67m (26th of 37 swimmers), 3.51.57 (34th of 50), 15.32.63 (39th of 45) RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 3rd, 5th and 3rd
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Sun Yang (China)/Mack Horton (Australia)/Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy)
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Sun Yang (China)/Sun Yang (China) silver/Sun Yang (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Welson Sim (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST: Allen Ong/Jeffrey Ong/Jeffrey Ong


PHEE JINQ EE 
AGE: 18 years, 9 months
EVENT: Women’s 100m breastroke
PERFORMANCE: 1.10.22, 33rd of 44 swimmers
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Lilia King (USA)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 6th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Shi Jinglin (China) 4th final, 1.06.37
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Phee Jinq Ee (Malaysia)
PREVIOUS BEST:

HEIDI GAN
AGE: 27 years, 10 months
EVENT: Women’s 10km marathon
PERFORMANCE: 21st of 25 swimmers, 1.59.07
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 3rd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Xin Xin (China) 4th, 1.57.14
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Heidi Gan (Malaysia)

DIVING

OOI TZE LIANG
AGE: 22 years, 9 months
EVENT: Men’s 10m platform
PERFORMANCE: 22nd in preliminary, out of 26 participants
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Chen Aisen (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 4th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Chen Aisen (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Ooi Tze Liang (Malaysia)

AHMAD AMSYAR AZMAN
AGE: 24 years
EVENT: Men’s 3m springboard
PERFORMANCE: 29th out of 29 participants
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Cao Yuan (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 6th
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Cao Yuan (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Ahmad Amsyar Azman (Malaysia)

PANDELELA RINONG
AGE: 23 years, 5 months
EVENT: 10m platform, 10m platform synchro
PERFORMANCE: 11th, silver medal
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Ren Qian (China)/Chen Ruolin-Liu Xuixia (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 6th, 2nd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Ren Qian (China)/Chen Ruolin-Liu Xuixia (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Nur Dhabitah Sabri (Malaysia)/Jun Hoong-Pandelela (Malaysia)

CHENG JUN HOONG 
AGE: 26 years, 4 months
EVENT: 10m platform synchro, 3m springboard synchro, 3m springboard individual PERFORMANCE: silver medal with Pandelela, 5th with Nur Dhabitah, 21st out of 29 divers EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Chen Ruolin-Liu Xuixia (China)/Wu Minxia-Shi Tingmao (China)/Shi Tingmao (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 2nd, 2nd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Chen Ruolin-Liu Xuixia (China)/Wu Minxia-Shi Tingmao (China)/Shi Tingmao (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Jun Hoong-Pandelela (Malaysia)/Nur Dhabitah Sabri-Cheng Jun Hoong (Malaysia)/Ng Yan Yee (Malaysia)

NG YAN YEE 
AGE: 23 years, 1 month
EVENT: Women’s 3m springboard
PERFORMANCE: 10th in final
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Shi Tingmao (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 3rd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Shi TIngmao (China)
BEST ASEAN PERFORMER: Ng Yan Yee (Malaysia)

NUR DHABITAH SABRI
AGE: 17 years, 1 month
EVENT: 10m platform individual, 3m springboard synchro
PERFORMANCE: 9th, 5th
EVENTUAL GOLD MEDALLIST: Ren Qian (China)/Wu Minxia-Shi Tingmao (China)
RANKING AMONG ASIANS: 5th, 2nd
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Ren Qian (China)/Wu Minxia-Shi Tingmao (China)
BEST ASIAN PERFORMER: Nur Dhabitah Sabri (Malaysia)/NurDhabitah-Jun Hoong (Malaysia)

For the record - how our athletes fared in Athens 2004

For future reference. From the media centre in Athens, loose cannon scoured for details in order to share these information with The Malay Mail readers those days.

FROM the following comparative study involving the Malaysian representatives against the best, internationally, continentally and regionally, only Josiah Ng emerged with some credit from the 28th Olympic Games in Athens.

Individual analysis

Mon Redee Sut Txi (Archery)
Age: 22
Event: Individual
Performance: First round, lost to Russia's Natalia Bolotova
44th out of 51 archers
Eventual gold medallist: Park Sung-hyun (Korea)
Best Asian performer: Park Sung-hyun (Korea)
Best Asean performer: Jasmin Figueora (Philippines) second round, ranked 27th

Nazmizan Muhammad (athletics)
Age: 23
Event: Men's 200m
Performance: 7th in Heat 6, 45th out of 53 sprinters
Eventual gold medallist: Shawn Crawford (US), 19.79s
Best Asian performer: Yang Yaozu (Chn) 20.59s, 13th
Best Asean performer: Nazmizan Muhammad (Mas)

Yuan Yufang (athletics)
Age: 28
Event: Women's 20km race walk
Performance: 35th out of 52 walkers
Eventual gold medallist: Athanasia Tsoumeleka (Gre) 1:29.12
Best Asian performer: Wang Liping (Chn) 1:30.16
Best Asean performer: Yuan Yufang (Mas) 1:36.34

BADMINTON

Wong Choong Hann
Age: 27
Event: Men's singles
Performance: Second round, lost to Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat
Eventual gold medallist: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)
Best Asian performer: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)
Best Asean performer: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)

Muhammad Roslin Hashim
Age: 29
Event: Men's singles
Performance: First round, lost to Sony Dwi Kuncoro
Eventual gold medallist: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)
Best Asian performer: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)
Best Asean performer: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)

Lee Chong Wei
Age: 22
Event: Men's singles
Performance: Second round, lost to Chen Hong (Chn)
Eventual gold medallist: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)
Best Asian performer: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)
Best Asean performer: Taufik Hidayat (Ina)

Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah
Age: 28/29
Event: Men's doubles
Performance: Quarter-finals, lost to Korean pair Lee Dong Soo-Yoo Yong Sung
Eventual gold medallist: Kim Dong Moon-Ha Tae Kwon (Kor)
Best Asian performer: Kim Dong Moon-Ha Tae Kwon (Kor)
Best Asean performer: Eng Hian-Flandy Limpele (Ina), bronze medallist

Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng
Age: 24/28
Event: Men's doubles
Performance: Second round, lost to Zheng Bo-Sang Yang (Chn)
Eventual gold medallist: Kim Dong Moon-Ha Tae Kwon (Kor)
Best Asian performer: Kim Dong Moon-Ha Tae Kwon (Kor)
Best Asean performer: Eng Hian-Flandy Limpele (Ina) bronze medallist

Wong Pei Tty-Chin Ee Hui
Age: 23/22
Event: Women's doubles
Performance: Second round, lost to Huang Sui-Gao Ling (Chn)
Eventual gold medallist: Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn)
Best Asian performer: Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn)
Best Asean performer: Saralee T-Satanee C (Tha) quarterfinals

Josiah Ng (cycling)
Age: 24
Event: Sprint, keirin
Performance: 11th in sprint, 6th and finalist in keirin
Eventual gold medallist: Ryan Bayley (Aus) sprint, keirin
Best Asian performer: Josiah Ng (Mas)
Best Asean performer: Josiah Ng (Mas)

Leong Mun Yee (diving)
Age: 20
Event: 10m platform, 3m springboard
Performance: 26th out of 33 divers (3m), 21st out of 34 divers (10m)
Eventual gold medallist: Chantelle Newby (Aus) 10m, Guo Jingjing (Chn) 3m
Best Asian performer: Lao Lishi (Chn) 2nd in 10m, Guo Jingjing (Chn) 1st in 3m
Best Asean performer: Leong Mun Yee (Mas)

Gracie Junita Terry Pega
Age: 14
Event: 3m springboard
Performance: 27th out of 33 divers (3m)
Eventual gold medallist: Guo Jingjing (Chn)
Best Asian performer: Guo Jingjing (Chn)
Best Asean performer: Leong Mun Yee (Mas)

Bryan Nickson Lomas
Age: 14
Event: 10m platform
Performance: 19th out of 33 divers
Eventual gold medallist:
Best Asian performer:
Best Asean performer: Bryan Nickson Lomas (Mas)

Ng Shu Wai (gymnastics)
Age: 19
Event: Individual
Performance: 38th overall
Eventual gold medallist: Paul Hamm (US)
Best Asian performer: Kim Dae-un (Kor)
Best Asean performer: Ng Shu Wai (Mas)

Kevin Lim (sailing)
Age: 29
Event: Laser class
Performance: Best Asean performer
Eventual gold medallist: Robert Scheidt (Bra)
Best Asian performer: Kim Ho Kon (Kor)

Ricky Teh (shooting)
Age: 41
Event: Skeet
Performance: Ranked 40th overall of 41 participants, score of 113
Eventual gold medallist: Andrea Benelli (Ita)
Best Asian performer: Nasser Al-Attiya (Qatar) 4th
Best Asean performer: Ricky Teh (Malaysia)

Bernard Yeoh (shooting)
Age: 35
Event: Trap
Performance: 34th out of 35 shooters, score of 107
Eventual gold medallist: Alexei Alipov (Rus)
Best Asian performer: Ahmad Al-Maktoum (UAE) 4th
Best Asean performer: Lee Wung Yew (Sin) 21st, 115

Alex Lim Keng Liat (swimming)
Age: 23
Event: 100m, 200m backstroke
Performance: Semi-finalist in 100m back, 56.08s, first round 200m
Eventual gold medallist: Aaron Peirsol (US)
Best Asian performer: Tomomi Morita (Jpn)
Best Asean performer: Alex Lim Keng Liat (Mas)

Allen Ong
Age: 25
Event: 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle
Performance: 46th out of 83 swimmers (50m), 50th out of 69 swimmers (100m)
Eventual gold medallist: Gary Hall (US) (50m), Pieter  van den Hoogenband (Netherlands) (100m)
Best Asian performer: Lee Chung Hee, 35th (50m), Yoshihiro Okumura (27th)
Best Asean performer: Allen Ong (both events)

Siow Yi Ting
Age: 22
Event: 200m breaststroke
Performance: 21st out of 31 (200m)
Eventual gold medallist: Amanda Beard (US)
Best Asian performer: Masami Tanaka (Jpn) 4th
Best Asean performer: Jaclyn Pangilinan (Phil) 20th in heats


Saw Yi Khy
Age: 22
Event: 1,500m
Performance: 3rd in heat 1, 32nd out of 34 swimmers
Eventual gold medallist: Grant Hackett (Aus)
Best Asian performer: Takeshi Matsuda (Jpn) 13th
Best Asean performer: Charnvudth Saengsri (Thailand) 27th

Elaine Teo (taekwondo)
Age: 23
Event: 49kg
Performance: First round, lost to Guatemala's Euda Carias
Eventual gold medallist: Park Sung-hyun (Korea)
Best Asian performer: Chen Shih Hsin (Taiwan)
Best Asean performer: Yaowapa Boorapachul (Tha) bronze medallist

Muhammad Faizal Baharom (weightlifting)
Age: 22
Event: 56kg
Performance: Did not finish, 110kg (snatch)
Eventual gold medallist: Halil Mutlu (Turkey) 295kg
Best Asian performer: Wu Meijin (Chn) 287.5kg
Best Asean performer: Jadi Setiadi (Ina) 8th, 262.5kg

Covering the Olympics

The Olympics is the pinnacle of a sports journalist's career. Some of us are very fortunate indeed to be part of the extravaganza. Since I spent most of my adult years hitting the keyboard under the warm roof of the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) Berhad, the loose cannon shall take you down memory lane and highlight the elite group of sportswriters on NSTP's payroll who had been handed the privilege to cover THE Games.

Norman Siebel was perhaps the only print journalist to have enjoyed covering four successive Olympics - Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964 and Mesico 1968. Following Siebel's passing in 1969, taking turns to cover the Games were Conrad Ng in Munich 1972 and Mansoor Rahman in 1976 and 1984.

Siebel, a legend, an opinion-shaper who called a spade, a spade. I wonder how today's keyboard warriors would react to his comment pieces

Conrad Ng (seated, second from right) and Mansoor (seated, left) covered the Olympics for the New Straits Times

Rosmanizam Abdullah was dispatched to Los Angeles to cover the Olympics in 1984, thus earning the distinction of being Berita Harian's first ever representative to the Games. The previous practice was for BH to translate New Straits Times' best pieces into Bahasa. Rosmanizam earned another feather to his cap decades later. As an office-bearer of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), he became the media attache to the Malaysian contingent to the Olympics on two occasions - in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. 

Due to the distance, two journalists from BH - Amat Mat Top and Khairul Anuar Mokhtar - were picked to cover the 1988 Olympics. And...

Khairul (left) and Hj Amat, 28 years on...

The print journos in 1988 - from left Khoo Kay Soon (The Malay Mail), Amat Mat Top (BH), Nasir Ahmad (Utusan Malaysia), Khairul Anuar (BH), Fauzi Omar (Datuk) (New Straits Times), A. Subramaniam (The Star) and Mustakim Aminuddin (Datuk) (Utusan Malaysia). Fauzi was the Malay Mail Editor when I made the move from BH to the tabloid paper in September 1996. Subramaniam served as the media officer of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) when it was still located at the OCM

The BH sports editor Zian Johari covered the Barcelona Games in 1992. One of my duties was to pick up the call from Barcelona and check whether or not his stories were in the system. I translated several pieces on track and field for Jaguh. Zian was fortunate enough with the rest of the media corp for Razif-Jalani Sidek created history with the bronze in the men's doubles. A historic moment indeed.

Zian's successor, Hishamuddin Aun (Datuk) went to Atlanta to cover the centennial Games in 1996. The Kampar-born Hishamuddin, now a consultant at Astro Arena, was one of 5,695 accredited print journalists who covered the Games which was best remembered for Michael Johnson's pair of golden shoes as he cruised to the 200m and 400m gold. I enjoyed the Games from afar, as I was coping with the pressure of being a journo at the news desk, covering political and national news. The contingent performed one better this time, with Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock picking up the silver, having lost narrowly to Ricky Subagja-Rexy Mainaky, while Rashid Sidek won the bronze in men's singles.

Radzi Wahab, fondly known as Ron, went to Sydney. By then, I was already into my fourth year at the Malay Mail. To help fill up the pages, we surfed the Net for stories written by Australian newspapers online without relying entirely on news agencies The contingent, unfortunately, returned home empty-handed. For Ron, he would go on to cover the 2008 and 2012 Games for Harian Metro! Sydney was the last time the hockey team qualified for the Olympics!

Badrulhisham Othman, fondly known as Buddy, now Datuk. The whole NSTP media corp were housed under one roof, in an apartment rented out by the Morous. First one to leave the apartment and usually the last to come back, due to the five-hour difference. Imagine waking up at 6am in Athens with KL, at 11am, already expecting a few stories to be in the system by then.

Norbakti Alias as the BH sports editor, witnessed the one-sided final between Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan. We exchanged messages over the phone to discuss many issues as I was no longer in the mainstream media. One silver was the only medal the contingent had to show.

V Ashok was the BH sports editor when he covered the Games in London. Ashok and I joined the BH sports desk on the same day, in December 1991. He was transferred from the Berita Minggu desk, while I was then attached to the news desk. Lucky him that he was able to report on Chong Wei's silver medal and diver Pandelela Rinong's bronze in the 10m platform individual

Azahar Md Taib moved from Utusan Malaysia to Harian Metro and became only the second representative from the latter to cover the Games, after Abdul Rahim Md Zain's Sydney adventure in 2000

NST sports editor Tony Francis and seasoned photographer Khalid Redza formed the quartet from NSTP in 1992, alongside Zian and Khoo Kay Soon of the Malay Mail. Loose cannon was truly inspired by the reports carried by the Malay Mail in the 80s, when Tony Francis was the sports editor. Loose cannon did not get to work under him, but was on the receiving end of his anger instead when I picked on Malaysia Today in 2005...Khalid and I were together in Jakarta for the Thomas Cup in 1994, the Jakarta SEA Games in 1997, the Thomas Cup in 1998, the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 and Athens 2004.

Dan Guen Chin, the ghost-writer for the widely-read Mokhtar Dahari column in the NST in the 80s, covered the Sydney Games for the New Straits Times. Loose cannon had the good fortune of covering the 1995 SEA Games in Chiangmai and the 2003 Asian Track and Field championship in Manila with Dan, who is now undergoing treatment for stomach cancer in Johor

Athens 2004 was the second time Lazarus Rokk covered the Games, having been to the Atlanta Games eight years earlier.

Rokk, as a reporter, in 1996. He claims that he looked better in 2004.

Vijesh Rai, who boarded the plane to Beijing 2008, London 2012 and the ongoing Rio de Janeiro 2016, could be eyeing the chance of emulating Siebel in Tokyo 2020. Vijesh was a silver medallist in taekwondo in the 1987 SEA Games in Jakarta.

Khoo Kay Soon covered the 1988 and 1992 Olympics as the Malay Mail sports editor. When I made the move to the Malay Mail in 1996, Kay Soon was helming the Football magazine. I was humbled when he invited to write for the Euro edition of the magazine while I was still with Berita Harian

Tony was not yet the sports editor when he covered the Sydney Games, a precedent set by Johnson Fernandez in Atlanta. Sixteen years on, Tony was made the media attache of the contingent to Rio.

Had I stayed at BH, I might not have the opportunity to go to the Olympics, as tradition dictates the sports editor gets to cover the Games. Into my eighth year at the Malay Mail, the then sports editor, Rajan Etickan, nominated me for the Games in mid-2003, insisting that I was versatile enough to go for having been covering football, track and field, shooting, weightlifting, badminton and the National Sports Council (NSC) and Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) beat over the years. It was a natural progression for I had gone to the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. Since I was the most junior among the NSTP group, I was tasked to arrange for accommodation with the designated and official travel agency Read Azahar Taib's column here. Two-time Olympic champion, Lin Dan, three-time silver medallist Lee Chong Wei and 9-time gold medallist Usain Bolt have one thing in common - they made their Olympic debut in Athens. Like the Malaysian contingent, the trio returned home empty-handed. Read my memoirs in Athens here

For the Rio Games, BH was represented by Hussain Said, while Metro sent Hamdan Saaid, who went as a Bernama reporter to Athens in 2004. Graig Nunis is the first writer to cover for the Malay Mail (under the new management) after an eight-year absence (loose cannon was the fifth and last under the NSTP management).

Another Olympics has come to an end. The gold, sadly, has remained elusive. Till Tokyo 2020!

Pakej Olimpik Rio daripada Astro

ASTRO BAWAKAN LIPUTAN KOMPREHENSIF SEMPENA SUKAN OLIMPIK RIO 2016 MENERUSI 12 SALURAN BERDEFINISI TINGGI (HD)

TONTONI BARISAN ATLET MALAYSIA DI LIPUTAN SIARAN LANGSUNG SELAMA 15 JAM SEHARI, HANYA DI ASTRO ARENA KUALA LUMPUR,

1 OGOS 2016 – Rakyat Malaysia kini boleh menonton liputan paling komprehensif Sukan Olimpik Rio 2016 menerusi 12 saluran khusus Berdefinisi Tinggi atau HD (Saluran 780-791) dan saluran Berdefinisi Standard atau SD (Saluran 760-771) di Astro TV dan aplikasi Astro on the Go.

Kepada semua pelanggan Astro Sports Pack, Sports Lite Pack dan juga pengguna yang telah membeli Pas Sukan untuk UEFA EURO 2016, anda turut berpeluang mendapatkan akses di 12 saluran Olimpik yang ditetapkan ini.

Menurut Naib Presiden Bahagian Perniagaan Sukan Astro, Lee Choong Khay, “Memegang peranan sebagai rakan usaha sama penyiar rasmi bagi Rio 2016, Astro sangat teruja untuk membawakan detikdetik sukan yang terbaik dari Rio 2016 menerusi 12 saluran khusus di kaca televisyen dan peranti mudah alih.

"Liputan eksklusif para atlet Malaysia di Rio 2016 Astro Arena akan terus memainkan peranannya sebagai satu-satunya medium sukan tempatan Malaysia dengan menyediakan segala liputan yang tidak dapat ditandingi oleh barisan kontinjen Malaysia di Rio 2016.

"Astro Arena telah menghantar 36 wakilnya ke Rio bagi membuat liputan selama 15 jam sehari secara langsung untuk melaporkan perkembangan atlet-atlet negara yang bertanding di sana.

Bersempena dengan Sukan Olimpik ini, Astro Arena juga boleh ditonton menerusi saluran khusus HD (Saluran 802) dan SD (Saluran 801).

"Saya juga berasa gembira untuk berkongsi di sini bahawa pelanggan bukan Astro turut berpeluang mengakses Astro Arena menerusi aplikasi Astro on the Go.

Justeru itu, kami dengan ini ingin menyeru kepada rakyat Malaysia agar sentiasa memberikan sokongan kepada jaguh-jaguh sukan negara dengan menyertai kempen anjuran kami, #AyuhMalaysiaKu," jelas Lee lagi.

Lee (belakang, dua dari kiri) bersama Asmawi Bakiri, Hasnizam Uzir dan Pekan Ramli (belakang) serta Hakim Amir Nazri, Mirnawan Nawawi dan Rizal Hashim

Senarai Program Sukan Olimpik di Astro Arena


Di Ambang Rio
Program di sebalik tabir ini menampilkan perjalanan atlet Malaysia membuat persiapan sempena Sukan Olimpik
(5 Ogos, 9.00 malam)

Liputan Sukan Olimpik oleh hos yang bersiaran dari Arena
(3 - 21 Ogos, 8.00 malam – 11.00 malam)

Dari kiri Rizal Hashim, Hakim Amir Nazri, Dayang Zainatull Aqma Abang Zulkarnain, Burn, Intan Nor Saina dan Mirnawan Nawawi terbabit dalam laporan dari Wisma Ali Bawal

Tiga wajah Astro Arena di Rio de Janeiro - budak Larkin, budak Kulim dan budak Kuala Pilah #tanyaje

Dari Rio
Liputan Sukan Olimpik secara langsung dari Rio
(Isnin- Ahad, 11.30 malam – 9.00 pagi)

Penolong penerbit Nadi Arena, Yeoh Li Ying, memantau siaran dari Rio de Janeiro

Nadi@Rio
Rancangan pagi harian yang mempaparkan analisis mengenai perkembangan para atlet Malaysia Isnin – Ahad, 9.00 pagi – 10.00 pagi

Akbar Sahari menemu bual ketua kontinjen, Tan Sri Mohamed Al Amin Abdul Majid, di studio Astro Arena di Rio

Memori Rio
Rancangan 2 jam yang merakamkan detik-detik bermakna sempena Rio 2016

Pasca Rio
Imbas semula kejayaan atlet Malaysia di Rio
(22 Ogos, 8.00 malam)

Astro juga menawar banyak pilihan kepada orang ramai untuk melanggan pek kandungan sukan. Untuk mendapatkan saluran Sukan Olimpik, para pelanggan Astro boleh mendapatkan Pakej Sports Lite Pack, dengan harga RM12.75* sahaja sebulan. Pakej Sports Lite Pack turut merangkumi Astro SuperSport 1 dan 2, Fox Sports 3 dan saluran HD Arena.

 Pas Sukan untuk saluran Sukan Olimpik juga disediakan menerusi perkhidmatan NJOI dan kepada pelanggan bukan Astro dengan harga RM104.94*.

Selepas 28 tahun...

Baru-baru ini, aku dipelawa menjamu selera di perjumpaan semula skuad bola sepak Selangor 1988. Majlis pot luck diadakan sempena kedatangan Syawal, serentak dengan perjumpaan semula selepas 28 tahun skuad itu menjuarai Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) 1988 yang juga saingan Piala Presiden. Kebetulan ia diadakan ketika Sukma di Sarawak sedang menuju kemuncaknya.

Keterangan gambar? Baca bawah

Kapten skuad 1988, Azaruddin Hamzah, mewakili pasukan memberi sumbangan kepada jurulatih, Kamaruddin Harun

Santai dan mesra, ibarat keluarga lama tidak berjumpa

Isteri dan anak-anak menemani suami memutar semula jam ke 1988

Berdiri dari belakang, dari kiri Abdul Razak Abu Hassan, Abdul Ghani Ali, Sairudin Noordin, Mohd Salimy Idris, Norhisham Burhan, Rosli Omar. Depan dari kiri Muhammad Buang, Ahmad Firdaus Marjan, Faizal Abdul Rahman, Kamaruddin Harun, Azaruddin Hamzah, Malek Rahman, Amir Hakim Haron

Ingatkan dapat jersi, rupanya sekadar tayang aje. Ini jersi skuad 1988. Warna hijau ek. Belakang tu orang Johor yang berhijrah ke Selangor, bekas penjaga gol, Faizal Abdul Rahman

Diapit kapten dan penyerang. Azaruddin mewakili skuad Bawah 19 negara ke Kejohanan Remaja Asia, yang turut dianggotai Khairul Azman Mohammad, Soh Chor Len dan Zahasmi Ismail. Azaruddin yang dari asal dibimbing mejadi seorang bek tengah, melupakan karier dalam bola sepak selepas melanjutkan pelajaran ke United Kingdom. Muhammad pula bekas pelari pecut dan pemain sepak takraw sekolah yang kemudian menyarung jersi Belia Sinaran. 

Nampak tak Amir Hakim, Malek, Faizal dan Ghani? Empat serangkai ini menyelitkan diri ke dalam skuad glamour Selangor pada 1989. Bukan senang wohhh time tu...

Lama tak jumpa Malek. Last jumpa masa Dengan Izin. Lepas tu dia selaku kutuk aku dalam facebook. Hehehe. Hadiah beg setiap yang hadir ihsan Norhisham

Sambil aku melangkah ke kereta, aku terfikir bahawa melalui bola sepak, skuad ini menjalin persahabatan sejati. Mereka ibarat satu extended family. Tidak cemburu dengan penonjolan yang lain. Sekalipun kebanyakan mereka tidak meneruskan kerjaya dalam bola sepak, lebih penting mereka menjadi manusia yang berjaya. Inilah generasi yang tidak memerlukan media sosial untuk hidup atau merendahkan/menghina orang lain. Mereka bermain bola di waktu bola sepak Malaysia amatur dan separuh profesional dari semua sudut.

Terima kasih Kosmo! memberi penghormatan sewajarnya buat mereka