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Sports

Saturday March 21, 2009

Lee and Nicol favourites to lift National Sports awards

KUALA LUMPUR: It will probably be the easiest task for the selectors to name the winners of the 2008 National Sportsman and Sportswoman awards.

From achievements last year, shuttler Lee Chong Wei and squash player Nicol David are the overwhelming favourites to lift the awards in a presentation ceremony to be held on Mon­day. Both are the current world No. 1 in their sport.

Chong Wei achieved Malaysia’s best results in 12 years in the Olympics when he nailed the men’s singles silver medal in Beijing last August, losing to China’s Lin Dan in the final.

The other nominees in the men’s award Mohd Azizul Hasni Awang (cycling), Zulmazran Zulkifli (bowling), Safuan Said (lawn bowling), Cheng Chu Sian (archery) and Lee Hup Wei (athletics).

But if the selection is made based on the most improved performance by an athlete, then, youngster Azizul is a good bet for his exploits in track cycling. The 21-year-old made the world stand up and take notice of Malaysia with remarkable performances in several major championships last year.

He made his debut in the Olympics; bagged the keirin gold medal in the Asian Championships in Japan and was also prominent in several legs of the World Cup series.

In the women’s division, Nicol is in a class of her own. She ended her campaign last year without losing a single match in 10 tournaments, including claiming the World Open title for the third time in four years.

The other nominees for the women’s award are Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (badminton doubles), Fatehah Mustapa (cycling), Wendy Chai (bowling), Siti Zalina Ahmad (lawn bowls), Siow Yi Ting (swimming) and Chai Fong Yin (wushu).

The only women other than Nicol to a won a world title last year was Wendy, who emerged as the World Ranking Masters champion in Singapore.

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