NSAM to trim Games squad to 24

05/08/1998

SEVEN shooters will be dropped from the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games
list after a meeting between the National Shooting Association of Malaysia
and the National Sports Council today.
The initial NSAM list submitted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia
selection committee had 31 names on it, but it was later discovered that
as hosts, Malaysia can only field a maximum of 24 shooters for the Games.
"According to the Commonwealth Shooting Federation rules, a country who
host 15 shooting events can only field 24 athletes, so we will have to
trim the squad," said NSC shooting co-ordinator Hamdan Ahmad.
In the women's air rifle event, there are three shooters on the list,
and according to Hamdan, only one will be selected.
Noriha Rani, Roslina Bakar and Nurul Huda Baharin are listed for the air
rifle event, and it looks like Nurul has the edge over them.
During the World championships in Barcelona, Nurul finished 13th out of
107 shooters while Roslina finished 18th in the air rifle.
In the air pistol, Russian coach-turned-Malaysian shooter Irina Maharani
fired 383 points to finish ninth among 105 shooters.
"If Nurul and Irina can maintain their form, Malaysia have a good chance
of winning medals," said Hamdan.
After today's selection, the shooters will break camp to represent their
States in the President's Cup at the Subang Range on Aug 7-9.
They will regroup on Aug 13 and head for the Langkawi Shooting Range.
The pre-Games for shooting will be held on Sept 7-10.
JAYA '98 SQUAD - Men: Jasni Shaari (free rifle prone, free rifle three
position), Mutalib Razak (air rifle), Azmi Zakaria (air rifle), Sabiki Din
(ree rifle prone, free rifle three position), Aziz Brahem (air rifle, free
rifle prone, free rile three position), Hashim Desa (air rifle, free
pistol, centre ire pistol), Hazli Iswan Amir (rapid fire pistol), Leong
Wei Heng (trap), Goh Kek Chuan (skeet), Ricky Chee (skeet), Zainal Abidin
(fullbore), Rajeli Asri (fullbore), Zulkeflee Hamsan (fullbore), Rahim
Kamarudin (fullbore), Ali Noor Razif (free pistol), Marzuki Man (centre
fire pistol), David Hor (rapid fire pistol, centre fire pistol), Villow
Kabah (air rifle), Roland Lau (skeet), Emran Zakaria (air rifle, free
rifle prone, free rifle three position), Charles Chen (trap), Nordalila
Abu Bakar (air rifle, sport rifle prone, sport rifle three position).
WOMEN: Noriha Rani (air rile), Roslina Bakar (air rifle, sport rifle
prone, sport rifle three position), Nurul Huda Baharin (air rifle, sport
rifle prone, sport rifle three position), Sarihati Awang (sport rifle
prone, sport rifle three position), Suriani Othman (air pistol), Kamisah
Jalal (air pistol), Norsita Mohamed (sport pistol), Irina Maharani (air
pistol, sport pistol), Che Wan Zulqarnaen (rapid fire pistol).
(ENDS)