Saturday, April 12, 2008

Catching up with two Olympians

I bumped into two Olympians recently.

Former national hockey defender Lailin Abu Hassan took time off to offer tender loving care to his eldest child, a 10-year old girl who has asthma.

Race walker Annastasia Karen Raj remains very much a filial daughter, for she was visiting her mum at the hospital when I saw her.

A no frills defender who played under Aussie Terry Walsh in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and German Volker Knapp in the Atlanta edition four years later, Batu Pahat-born Lailin is a member of TNB's Thunderbolts coaching set-up.

Anna who competed in Atlanta, is now attached to Symphony House Berhad.

For the duo, little has changed in their respective disciplines.

But at least Lailin took part in two Olympics. Malaysia are on the brink of missing the Olympics for the second successive time. (Updates) Indeed they have, after a 3-3 draw with Japan denied Malaysia a place in the final against Germany.

Athletics too has seen better times. Wonder what's going to happen to MAAU president, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bro,
MAS drew JPN 3-3, so there goes our Olympic slot!
Agreed that athletics has seen better times...MAAU really need to get their acts together. Most of them care about position more than the athletes. Politicians should stay out of sports...they are a joke la...can even differentiate between lactate n laptop!
This shahidan fella, presidents for so many sports assoc, what has he contributed???
let sport people lead sport