The NST : Azizulhasni, Jun Hoong honoured at National Sports Awards

By Aida Adilah Mat - March 14, 2018

PETALING JAYA: As expected, reigning world champions Azizulhasni Awang and Cheong Jun Hoong were named as Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the 2017 National Sports Awards on Tuesday.

Track cyclist Azizulhasni, a bronze medallist at the Rio Olympics, won the keirin gold medal at the World Championships in Hong Kong in April last year to become the first ever Malaysian to wear the rainbow jersey.

Diver Jun Hoong was equally impressive at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest last July.

The Ipoh-born ended the dominance of China divers by winning the women's 10m platform individual gold medal.

It is Jun Hoong's first Sportswoman of the Year award and is Azizulhasni's third win after 2009 and 2010.

Azizulhasni said he is honoured to be recognised for his achievements.

"I am very grateful to be named Sportsman of the Year for 2017. The is the third time I have won the most prestigious award for athletes in Malaysia," said Azizulhasni.

"Winning this makes all the hard work, sacrifices and challenges I had faced worthwhile.

"It will definitely inspire me to strive for greater heights. I am now determined to do well at the upcoming Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Indonesia Asian Games."

Azizulhasni added that he hopes his fellow Malaysian athletes will all work hard to achieve greater success.

The duo received RM20,000 in prize money, a trophy and a certificate each which was presented by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.

Jun Hoong, however, did not attend the awards as she is currently in Japan for the second leg of the Diving World Series.

ROLL OF HONOUR -

Sportsman of the Year: Azizulhasni Awang (track cycling)

Sportswoman of the Year: Cheong Jun Hoong (diving).

Para Sportsman of the Year: Ziyad Zolkefli (athletics).

Men's Coach of the Year: Poad Md Kassim (athletics); Women's Coach of the Year: Yoong Sze Yuin (basketball).

Men's Team of the Year: Hockey; Women's Team of the Year: Bowling.

Leadership Award: Datuk Wan Nawawi Wan Ismail (Malaysia Lawn Bowls Federation).

Sports Icon Award: Sultan Ahmad Shah (football).

Special Awards: Johor Darul Ta'zim (football club), Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (MotoGP rider).

The Star : Pandelela closes the year with a win in Gold Coast

PETALING JAYA: Pandelela Rinong signed off the year with a splash – bagging a superb win for Malaysia in the Australian Diving Grand Prix in Gold Coast.

Pandelela Rinong (left) and Leong Mun Yee with their silver medals.

The 24-year-old went in front with two dives to go in the women’s 10m platform individual final and never faltered – finishing with 319.40 points at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre yesterday.

Canada’s Celina Toth, who was leading until the third dive, settled for silver with 310.20 points. Australia’s Anna Rose Keating took bronze with 285.65 points ahead of teammate Britanny O’Brien (256.60).

Pandelela, who posted scores of 72.00-52.20-70.40-72.00-52.80 in the final, is now the first Malaysian two-time winner of an individual event at the Diving Grand Prix series.


Cheong Jun Hoong repeated the feat when she won the women’s 3m springboard individual final in Singapore in 2014.

Wendy Ng Yan Yee became the third Malaysian winner when she clinched the women’s 3m springboard individual in Kuching, Sarawak, last year.

Jellson Jabillin (left) and Cheong Jun Hoong posing with their silver medals at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre yesterday. 

National coach Yang Zhuliang was happy to see Pandelela, a two-time Olympic medallist, stamp her mark in the absence of the Chinese divers.

“China did not enter the women’s platform competition, but it was still a good battle between the divers from the Commonwealth countries.

“Pandelela managed to come out on top in the end. It’s still early days, but Pandelela definitely stands a good chance to fight for gold at the Commonwealth Games when we return to this venue in April next year,” said Zhuliang.

Pandelela claimed gold in the 10m platform individual at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, but settled for silver in Glasgow, Scotland, four years later.

Malaysia also won three silver medals in Gold Coast yesterday.

Pandelela had earlier combined with Leong Mun Yee to take silver with 287.10 points behind Australians Melissa Wu-Taneka Kovchenko in women’s 10m platform synchro.

Chew Yiwei-Ooi Tze Liang got the second silver for Malaysia in men’s 3m springboard synchro with 387.00 points, finishing behind 2017 World Championships silver medallists Cao Yuan-Xie Siyi of China (420.84).

Jellson Jabillin then combined with Cheong Jun Hoong to contribute the third silver in the mixed 10m platform synchro final with 262.71 points behind Britons Gemma McArthur-Lucas Thomson (269.46).

“I only trained for two weeks with Jun Hoong before the Malaysian Diving GP in Bukit Jalil, where we won the gold. So I’m very satisfied to have won that gold and now this silver in my second GP meet. It is an awesome experience combining with a world champion diver (Jun Hoong),” said the 16-year-old Jellson, who is from Sabah.



Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/diving/2017/11/12/a-fitting-end-pandelela-closes-the-year-with-a-win-in-gold-coast/#tfCYGEd7JPs8cJOF.99

The Star : Dhabitah looks good for glory at Commonwealth Games

PETALING JAYA: Teenage diver Nur Dhabitah Sabri (pic) has the potential to serve up a golden surprise in the women's 3m springboard individual at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, in April.

The 18-year-old got her act right when it mattered most to claim a place in the women's 3m springboard individual final as the best-ranked Com­monwealth diver at the Australian Diving Grand Prix in Gold Coast yesterday.

Dhabitah earned 308.40 points for her five-dive routine to finish second ahead of American Maria Coburn ((262.75) in the first semi-final.

That was enough for her to make the final at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre tomorrow.


Malaysia’s second diver Jasmine Lai missed out after placing sixth (206.45).

Australia have no representatives in the final after both Anabelle Smith (246.30) and Alysha Koloi (267.00) finished fourth in their respective semi-final.

Chen Yiwen of China won the second semi-final (311.15) ahead of American Krysta Palmer (284.80) and New Zealand’s Elizabeth Cui (270.20).

In the preliminaries, Dhabitah was sixth (271.90) and Jasmine 12th (218.60).

Dhabitah should be assured of a place in next year’s Commonwealth Games because Rio Olympian finalist Wendy Ng is set to sit it out due to a doping offence during the Kuala Lum­pur SEA Games in August.

A nation can name up to three divers for the individual events at the Commonwealth Games.

Dhabitah, having recovered from a back injury sustained during the SEA Games, is hoping to close the year on a high at Gold Coast.

“The Australian Diving GP is important to all of us as we want to gauge our chances in next year’s Commonwealth Games. This venue will also host the Games next year.

“I did not stop training after the SEA Games because I needed to prepare for the Malaysian GP (last month) and Australian GP. So I’m happy with my performance level,” said Dhabitah, who will also dive in the mixed 3m springboard synchro with Gabriel Gilbert Daim tomorrow.

Malaysia will not have a representative in the men’s 10m platform individual final tomorrow after youngster Jellson Jabillin could only finish fourth in the first semi-final with 322.35 points.

The Sarawak-born Jellson was eighth (339.60) in the preliminaries.

Teammate Muhd Syahmi Rezal failed to advance after placing 14th (253.05) in the preliminaries.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/diving/2017/11/11/well-worth-a-gold-dhabitah-looks-good-for-glory-at-commonwealth-games/#kAmbdEehCj2gWjV2.99

The Star : Diver Syafiq set to make Commonwealth Games team after good performance in Australian GP

Tough competition: Muhd Syafiq Puteh in action in the 3m springboard individual final at the Australian Diving Grand Prix in Gold Coast

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PETALING JAYA: Muhd Syafiq Puteh looks set to make his Commonwealth Games debut in Gold Coast, Australia, next April after a superb start for Malaysia in the Australian Diving Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old outshone his experienced Olympian Ahmad Amsyar Azman by qualifying for tomorrow’s 3m springboard individual final at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre tomorrow.

Syafiq scored 363.10 points to grab the last spot from the second semi-final group behind Canadian Peter Mai (375.00) and China's Cao Yuan (412.80) yesterday.

Reigning world champion Xie Siyi of China topped the first semi-final group with 486.15 points, followed by 2016 Diving World Cup champion Yona Knight-Wisdom of Jamaica (412.20).


Amsyar was sixth in the first semi-final grouping, with 291.35 points, and missed out on a place in the top-six final.

In the earlier preliminaries, Syafiq, who partnered Jasmine Lai to win the mixed 3m springboard synchro at the KL SEA Games in August, did well to finish third (380.95) while Amsyar was 10th (352.65) .

National coach Yang Zhuliang was happy to see Syafiq pass the initial test at the same outdoor venue that will host the diving competitions for the Common-wealth Games next year.

“We brought the full team here for the Australian GP as we wanted them to get a feel of the conditions here before the Commonwealth Games.

“Syafiq performed very well today. I’m very happy he’s in the final considering the 3m springboard competition here is as tough as the world meet.

“I hope he can keep it up. He is ranked third among the Commonwealth countries and, if he keeps it up, he can get a medal,” said the Chinese coach.

In the women’s event, Pandelela Rinong and Kimberly Bong are also through to tomorrow’s women’s 10m platform individual final. Pandelela finished second (295.20pts) and Kimberly third (240.50pts) in the second semi-final group won by Australia’s Anna Rose Keating (297.10pts).

Australia’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Brittany Brien (284.25), Canada’s Celina Toth (267.45) and Germany’s Christina Wassen (252.20) qualified from the first semi-final group.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/diving/2017/11/10/hes-just-terrifiq-diver-set-to-make-cwealth-games-team-after-good-performance-in-australian-gp/#fMtvZTG2XKPWb8lI.99

The Star : Pandelela-Mun Yee collect final gold for Malaysia

Malaysian Leong Mun Yee (front) adn Pandelela Rinong compete in the women 10meter platform synchro in the FINA Diving grandprix Kuala Lumpur in Bukit Jalil Aquatic stadium.AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star (29/102017)


KUALA LUMPUR: Pandelela Rinong and Leong Mun Yee were easy winners of the women’s 10m platform synchro gold on the final day of the Diving Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysians posted a 311.28 total in the five dives at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday to finish 30.60 points clear of second-placed Emily Boyd-Nikita Hains. The Australians managed 280.68 points.

Kim Suji-Cho Eunbi of South Korea took the bronze with a 275.10 total while Britain’s Emily Martin and Eden Cheng were fourth with 238.50 points. Only four teams took part following China’s pull-out due to an injury to one of their divers.

“It would have been more exciting and challenging if China had competed in the event. But the Australians and South Kore-ans gave us a strong challenge,” said the 23-year-old Pandelela, who won the 10m platform individual silver on Friday.

“Mun Yee is an experienced diver.

“You can count on her giving her best in every competition. The gold today is a real morale booster for us in next month’s Grand Prix in Gold Coast (Australia from Nov 9-12),” said Pandelela.

For 32-year-old Mun Yee, it was the first time she partnered Pandelela since the Diving World Series last year.

“We only trained together two weeks ago. But I am happy that I managed to make some decent dives to win the gold,” said four-time Olympian Mun Yee.

Malaysia also won a silver in the 3m springboard mixed synchro yesterday. Gabriel Gilbert and Nur Dhabitah Sabri amassed a 272.19 total.

Malaysia ended the three-day championships with two golds, four silvers and one bronze to finish third overall.

On Saturday, world champion Cheong Jun Hoong and Jellson Jabilin delivered the first gold for Malaysia in the 10m platform mixed synchro.

South Korea emerged overall champions with a 3-3-3 haul with China second on 3-2-1.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/diving/2017/10/30/runaway-winners-pandelelamun-yee-collect-final-gold-for-malaysia/#tkAHxC7GplJTxmJl.99

The Star : Jellson in the limelight

KUALA LUMPUR: Sixteen-year-old national diver Jellson Jabilin couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the Diving Grand Prix series.

Despite a hectic schedule, the Sabahan managed to help himself to a gold and silver in the 10m platform events in the Diving Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

He first clinched silver in the men’s 10m platform synchro with Nazirul Hanis by amassing 364.26 points.

Then, in the afternoon, Jellson partnered world champion Cheong Jun Hoong to win Malaysia’s first gold in the 10m platform mixed synchro with a total of 310.20 points.

However, the Grand Prix rules state that each country are allowed to win just one medal in the synchro events.

Going all out: Jellson Jabillin (top) and Cheong Jun Hoong in action during the 10m platform mixed synchro of the Diving Grand Prix at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star,

That saw South Korean divers of Kim Yeongnam-Cho Eunbi, who finished third with 295.80 points, taking the silver medal.

But Jellson was clearly the star of the day and he was thrilled with his efforts despite the hectic schedule.

“It’s not easy to focus on two events in a day. My dives in the 10m platform mixed synchro were a bit slack as I did not get enough rest after competing in the morning,” he explained.

“I still have room to improve as I’m still young, but it was a good experience competing in my first Grand Prix.

“I only trained for two weeks with Jun Hoong, so I’m happy to deliver Malaysia’s first gold in the Grand Prix,” said Jellson, who is looking forward to competing in the Grand Prix in Gold Coast, Australia, next month.

Jun Hoong, who is the first Malaysian diver to win a gold medal (10m platform) in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in July, admitted that fatigue was the reason why Jellson’s first two dives were not too well executed.

“But I motivated him by telling him that he could do it. Thankfully, he did well in the next three dives to help us win the first gold for Malaysia,” said Jun Hoong.

It was a fruitful day for Malaysia as they another silver and a bronze.

Ahmad Amsyar Azamn-Ooi Tze Liang won the second silver in men’s 3m springboard synchro with a 415.47 total.

Nur Dhabitah Sabri faced a strong challenge from China’s divers before clinching the bronze in women’s 3m springboard individual.



Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/diving/2017/10/29/jellson-in-the-limelight-debutant-clinches-gold-and-silver-at-home-grand-prix/#pmkpow3FRH5LrHlB.99

The Star : It’s all systems go

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Divers Pan­delela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong have a chance to repeat their Rio Olympic performance at the World Aquatics Champion­ships starting in Budapest, Hungary, tomorrow.

Pandelela-Jun Hoong were given the nod by head coach Yang Zhuliang to compete in the women’s 10m platform synchro after their first training session at the Danube Arena yesterday.

This is the same event that the duo splashed to a historic silver in Rio de Janeiro last August and it also turned out to be the first medal for the Malaysian contingent.

Pandelela will also be competing in the women’s 10m platform individual as she seeks to defend the bronze medal she won at the previous world meet in Kazan, Russia, in 2015.

Jun Hoong and Wendy Ng Yan Yee will dive in the women’s 1m springboard individual.

There were doubts earlier about Pandelela’s participation after an old right shoulder injury flared up at the final leg of the Diving World Series in Windsor, Canada, in April.

Zhuliang is adopting a relaxed approach to their participation in this year’s world meet.

“It is still an important meet to us but I cannot put too much pressure on them as some divers are carrying injuries.

“It may affect our chances at the next Olympics if they do not take care of their bodies.

“Divers cannot be in top form year in, year out. If we win a medal, it will be a bonus,” said the Chinese coach, adding that seasoned campaigner Leong Mun Yee will now compete in the mixed team event.

The long-serving Mun Yee was earlier put on standby in case Pandelela was not able to partner Jun Hoong.

Wendy and Nur Dhabitah Sabri will also focus on the women’s 3m springboard individual and synchro events.

Malaysia have earned three podium finishes in the world meet so far.

Apart from Pandelela’s bronze in Russia 2015, Mun Yee-Pandelela also took the bronze twice in the women’s 10m platform synchro in Rome 2009 and Barcelona 2013.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2017/07/13/its-all-systems-go-pandelelajun-hoong-get-green-light-to-compete-at-world-meet/#0jFYfdH7DE5pjQzJ.99

The Star :Pandelela and Co head to Macau for final warm-up

Malaysian diver and Olympic finalist Nur Dhabitah Sabri.

By Lim Teik Huat

PETALING JAYA: The Asian Diving Cup in Macau from June 16-18 will be the final warm-up for the Malaysian divers before they compete in the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, from July 14-22.

Pandelela Rinong, the individual 10m platform bronze medallist at the last world meet in Russia, will lead the women’s challenge in Budapest along with Cheong Jun Hoong, Leong Mun Yee, Wendy Ng Yan Yee and Nur Dhabitah Sabri. (pic)

The three-man team consist of Ooi Tze Liang, Chew Yiwei and Ahmad Amsyar.

All the eight divers are under the elite-only Podium Programme.


Said Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Mae Chen: “Coach Yang Zhuliang wants the eight to compete in Macau as he needs to evaluate their readiness and events for the World Championships.”

Besides the eight, Asum are also sending five divers under the Kita Juara programme to compete in Macau.

They are Traisy Vivien Tukiet, Loh Zhiayi, Jasmine Lai, Kimberly Bong and Muhd Syafiq Puteh.

The 13 Malaysians are now training in Guangzhou, China.

Besides the Asian Diving Cup and World Championships, they are also preparing for the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games from Aug 19-30.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2017/05/30/pandelela-and-co-head-to-macau-for-final-warmup/#kKrezPwsvUTDEjJF.99