Roslinda is Malaysia's only hope
Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:42 am
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Athletics: Roslinda is Malaysia's only hope
By : Devinder Singh
THE injury-enforced absences of Mohd Robani Hassan and Noraseela Mohd Khalid leave pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu as Malaysia’s only medal hope at the Asian Track and Field Championships starting on Wednesday in Amman, Jordan.
Noraseela, silver medallist in the 400m hurdles in the 2005 ATF in Incheon, South Korea, suffered a hamstring strain during a competition in Germany recently which also leaves her doubtful for the Aug 25-Sep 2 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Robani suffered an injury during a training camp in Bulgaria last week, diminishing his hopes of winning Malaysia’s first medal in the men’s 110m hurdles since Muhd Faiz Muhammad’s bronze in 2002.
"Robani and Noraseela will return to Kuala Lumpur while the other nine Europe-based athletes head straight for Amman.
"They will be joined by eight others from here," said National Sports Council athletics coordinator M. Magendran.
In Robani’s absence, Faiz returns for another shot at glory but, with national junior Rayzamshah Wan Sofian alongside, they will do well to just reach the final in a strong field that includes 2004 Athens Olympic gold medallist Liu Xiang of China and his compatriot Shi Dongpeng.
Roslinda, who took bronze in Incheon, will renew her rivalry with Asian Games gold medallist Gao Shuying of China and is out to get even after being edged to the gold medal on countback in Doha.
The World Championships-bound Roslinda, with a season’s best of 4.30m that qualified her for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will, however, need to soar higher to be a serious contender for gold as Shuying holds the Asian record of 4.53m.
Yuan Yufang could also surprise with a medal in the women’s 20km walk, having won bronze in the event in 2003 and another bronze in the 10,000m walk in 2000.
The naturalised Malaysian recently completed a coaching course in Hungary but is eager to return to competition as she gears towards defending her Sea Games gold in Korat in December.
Lee Hup Wei, with a 2007 best of 2.19m in the high jump, will need to clear 2.23m to have a shot at winning a medal while hurdler Moh Siew Wei and Ngew Sin Mei will return to top class action after being sidelined by injuries for several months, with the latter opting to compete in the long jump rather than her pet event, the triple jump.
The men’s 4x400m relay team will be vying for a place in the final after impressing with two silver medals in the just concluded three-leg Asian Grand Prix series.
Hammer thrower Siti Shahidah Abdullah is another athlete in top form after breaking the national record twice this year, but a medal is likely to be beyond her reach.
Nur Herman Majid was the last Malaysian to win gold in the ATF when he triumphed in the 110m hurdles in 1991 in Kuala Lumpur.
That is a 16-year drought which only Roslinda looks capable of ending.
SQUAD - Men: Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian (100m, 110m hurdles), Muhd Faiz Muhammad (110m hurdles), Zaiful Zainal Abidin, K. Amran Raj, Mohd Zafril Zuslaini (400m, 4x400m), S. Narendran (4x400m), Shahdan Jamaludin (400m hurdles, 4x400m), M. Vadivellan (1,500m), Lee Hup Wei (high jump), Mohd Syahrul Amri Suhaimi (long jump), Loh Choon Seang, Mohd Shahrulhaizy Abdul Rahman (20km walk).
Women: Moh Siew Wei (100m hurdles), Ngew Sin Mei (long jump), Roslinda Samsu (pole vault), Siti Shahidah Abdullah (hammer), Yuan Yufang (20km walk).
Coaches: Hanapiah Nasir, K. Jayabalan, S. Muthiah, V. Subramaniam, Gennady Potapovich, Vladimir Logashin.
Athletics: Roslinda is Malaysia's only hope
By : Devinder Singh
THE injury-enforced absences of Mohd Robani Hassan and Noraseela Mohd Khalid leave pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu as Malaysia’s only medal hope at the Asian Track and Field Championships starting on Wednesday in Amman, Jordan.
Noraseela, silver medallist in the 400m hurdles in the 2005 ATF in Incheon, South Korea, suffered a hamstring strain during a competition in Germany recently which also leaves her doubtful for the Aug 25-Sep 2 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Robani suffered an injury during a training camp in Bulgaria last week, diminishing his hopes of winning Malaysia’s first medal in the men’s 110m hurdles since Muhd Faiz Muhammad’s bronze in 2002.
"Robani and Noraseela will return to Kuala Lumpur while the other nine Europe-based athletes head straight for Amman.
"They will be joined by eight others from here," said National Sports Council athletics coordinator M. Magendran.
In Robani’s absence, Faiz returns for another shot at glory but, with national junior Rayzamshah Wan Sofian alongside, they will do well to just reach the final in a strong field that includes 2004 Athens Olympic gold medallist Liu Xiang of China and his compatriot Shi Dongpeng.
Roslinda, who took bronze in Incheon, will renew her rivalry with Asian Games gold medallist Gao Shuying of China and is out to get even after being edged to the gold medal on countback in Doha.
The World Championships-bound Roslinda, with a season’s best of 4.30m that qualified her for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will, however, need to soar higher to be a serious contender for gold as Shuying holds the Asian record of 4.53m.
Yuan Yufang could also surprise with a medal in the women’s 20km walk, having won bronze in the event in 2003 and another bronze in the 10,000m walk in 2000.
The naturalised Malaysian recently completed a coaching course in Hungary but is eager to return to competition as she gears towards defending her Sea Games gold in Korat in December.
Lee Hup Wei, with a 2007 best of 2.19m in the high jump, will need to clear 2.23m to have a shot at winning a medal while hurdler Moh Siew Wei and Ngew Sin Mei will return to top class action after being sidelined by injuries for several months, with the latter opting to compete in the long jump rather than her pet event, the triple jump.
The men’s 4x400m relay team will be vying for a place in the final after impressing with two silver medals in the just concluded three-leg Asian Grand Prix series.
Hammer thrower Siti Shahidah Abdullah is another athlete in top form after breaking the national record twice this year, but a medal is likely to be beyond her reach.
Nur Herman Majid was the last Malaysian to win gold in the ATF when he triumphed in the 110m hurdles in 1991 in Kuala Lumpur.
That is a 16-year drought which only Roslinda looks capable of ending.
SQUAD - Men: Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian (100m, 110m hurdles), Muhd Faiz Muhammad (110m hurdles), Zaiful Zainal Abidin, K. Amran Raj, Mohd Zafril Zuslaini (400m, 4x400m), S. Narendran (4x400m), Shahdan Jamaludin (400m hurdles, 4x400m), M. Vadivellan (1,500m), Lee Hup Wei (high jump), Mohd Syahrul Amri Suhaimi (long jump), Loh Choon Seang, Mohd Shahrulhaizy Abdul Rahman (20km walk).
Women: Moh Siew Wei (100m hurdles), Ngew Sin Mei (long jump), Roslinda Samsu (pole vault), Siti Shahidah Abdullah (hammer), Yuan Yufang (20km walk).
Coaches: Hanapiah Nasir, K. Jayabalan, S. Muthiah, V. Subramaniam, Gennady Potapovich, Vladimir Logashin.