ID :
148240
Mon, 11/01/2010 - 14:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/148240
The shortlink copeid
MAAU CONCERNED WITH LACK OF POTENTIAL ATHLETES COMING THROUGH THE MILL
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Amateur Athletic Union (MAAU)
expressed concern with the lack of young talents and potential athletes coming
through the mill.
MAAU deputy president Karim Ibrahim said not only was there a lack of young and
potential athletes, even the performances of senior athletes left much to be
desired, especially with the Guangzhou Asian Games just around the corner.
"We were hoping to see a few potential athletes popping up the stage to claim a
stake for national selection. But not a single new talent emerged at the MAAU
Open that ended at the National Sports Council Mini Stadium on Sunday.
"The performance of senior athletes was also a big let down, since the MAAU had expected those keen to earn a ticket to the Guangzhou Asian Games will show some improved performances to stake a claim for the games," Karim told Bernama after the MAAU Open on Sunday.
Though MAAU lacks financial resources, the Union continues to send athletes for
overseas stints and competitions with the help of the National Sports Council
(NSC) and the government but the returns from athletes have been disappointing
to say the least, he said.
"When an athlete is questioned of his or her drop in performance, they claim
that there are not enough competitive meets to raise their performance, but when
the MAAU Open organised a meet that featured athletes from 12 countries, there
was still nothing to show.
"In fact, some of them just gave lame excuses to not participate in the meet.
But when there is a proposal to sent a team for overseas competition, everyone
wants to be in the team.
"And then when it comes to multi-sport events like the SEA Games, Asian Games,
Commonwealth Games, etc, they expect the MAAU or NSC to send them under Category
B in the name of exposure," he said.
Karim said senior athletes should be setting a good example to the junior
athletes but added that there seemed to be a lack of such commitment from senior
athletes unlike in the past.
"Those days senior athletes were hungry for competitions and competed in state
or national meets just to be on top of their respective sports but nowadays
athletes pick and choose their competition and worst still try to avoid major
meets held locally, maybe for fear of losing or they are ashamed of losing at
home," he said.
Meanwhile, 400m hurdler Norsheela Khalid who has been training overseas for a number of years now, failed to even meet the qualifying mark of the Asian Games in Guangzhou, scheduled from Nov 12-27.
Despite winning the race against a depleted field, Noraseela could only manage 58.23 seconds in the women's 400m hurdles, well below the 56.85s qualifying mark set for Guangzhou.
Pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu was another senior athlete who failed to raise the bar at the MAAU Open as she could only clear a height of 4.10m, well short of her personal best of 4.40m.
Roslinda who went to the recently Commonwealth Games in New Delhi under Category B, had a poor outing, clearing only 3.95m to finish eighth.
expressed concern with the lack of young talents and potential athletes coming
through the mill.
MAAU deputy president Karim Ibrahim said not only was there a lack of young and
potential athletes, even the performances of senior athletes left much to be
desired, especially with the Guangzhou Asian Games just around the corner.
"We were hoping to see a few potential athletes popping up the stage to claim a
stake for national selection. But not a single new talent emerged at the MAAU
Open that ended at the National Sports Council Mini Stadium on Sunday.
"The performance of senior athletes was also a big let down, since the MAAU had expected those keen to earn a ticket to the Guangzhou Asian Games will show some improved performances to stake a claim for the games," Karim told Bernama after the MAAU Open on Sunday.
Though MAAU lacks financial resources, the Union continues to send athletes for
overseas stints and competitions with the help of the National Sports Council
(NSC) and the government but the returns from athletes have been disappointing
to say the least, he said.
"When an athlete is questioned of his or her drop in performance, they claim
that there are not enough competitive meets to raise their performance, but when
the MAAU Open organised a meet that featured athletes from 12 countries, there
was still nothing to show.
"In fact, some of them just gave lame excuses to not participate in the meet.
But when there is a proposal to sent a team for overseas competition, everyone
wants to be in the team.
"And then when it comes to multi-sport events like the SEA Games, Asian Games,
Commonwealth Games, etc, they expect the MAAU or NSC to send them under Category
B in the name of exposure," he said.
Karim said senior athletes should be setting a good example to the junior
athletes but added that there seemed to be a lack of such commitment from senior
athletes unlike in the past.
"Those days senior athletes were hungry for competitions and competed in state
or national meets just to be on top of their respective sports but nowadays
athletes pick and choose their competition and worst still try to avoid major
meets held locally, maybe for fear of losing or they are ashamed of losing at
home," he said.
Meanwhile, 400m hurdler Norsheela Khalid who has been training overseas for a number of years now, failed to even meet the qualifying mark of the Asian Games in Guangzhou, scheduled from Nov 12-27.
Despite winning the race against a depleted field, Noraseela could only manage 58.23 seconds in the women's 400m hurdles, well below the 56.85s qualifying mark set for Guangzhou.
Pole vaulter Roslinda Samsu was another senior athlete who failed to raise the bar at the MAAU Open as she could only clear a height of 4.10m, well short of her personal best of 4.40m.
Roslinda who went to the recently Commonwealth Games in New Delhi under Category B, had a poor outing, clearing only 3.95m to finish eighth.
