Nurul Huda, Saravanan named year's Olympians

28/11/1998

NATIONAL shooter Nurul Huda Baharin and walker G. Saravanan won the 1998
Olympian Award yesterday for their sterling performances at the Kuala
Lumpur Commonwealth Games in September.
Nurul and Saravanan received RM10,000 and a medal each from Yang Di-
Pertuan Agong Tuanku Ja'afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur.
The award was a timely boost as the duo will be representing the country
at the Asian Games in Bangkok next month.
Nurul, 24, won the individual air rifle gold despite wearing a cast on
her arm. A few weeks before the KL Games, she broke her arm in a
motorcycle accident.
Her grit and determination won Malaysia's first and only shooting gold
medal. Her 493.3 points is a new Commonwealth Games record.
Nurul, of Kedah, took up competitive shooting in 1995 and caught the
nation's attention when she won golds in the individual sport rifle three
position and team event at the Jakarta Sea Games last year.
She proved her worth again winning three gold medals at the Langkawi
Commonwealth Shooting Championship last year.
Nurul also received the SAM-Benson and Hedges '97 award and the '97
National Sports Award together with teammate Roslina Bakar.
While Nurul was a clear winner among nominees Thye Chee Kiat, Carolyn Au
Yong, El Regina Tajuddin and Sarina Sundarajah of rhythmic gynastics,
Saravanan faced a tough challenge for the award.
He edged bowler Kenny Ang who won two gold medals; weightlifter Hidayat
Hamidon who won a gold and a silver; and champion boxer Sapok Biki for the
award.
Saravanan, from Penang, came out tops with his 4:10.5 effort to win the
gruelling 50km walks.
Meanwhile, the 1998 IOC Trophy for Sports Ethics was awarded to the
Ministry of Education for their sports and physical education programmes.
(END)