Brothers Jiwa and Jivan are fierce rivals on the pitch

28/09/2001

JIWA Mohan, 20, and Jivan Mohan, 18, love each other very much, but on the
artificial pitch, the love is lost and they go all out to make the other
`look bad'.
No, theirs is not artificial love, but the Bukit Mertajam High School
brothers' passion for hockey and playing for the country overshadows
everyting, and they went all out to outdo each other right till the final
list for the Junior World Cup in Hobart on Oct 9-21 was named on Tuesday.
And as fate would have it, the selectors were so impressed with their
dedication and skills that both were selected for the World Cup and so
they notched a first for Malaysia.
"Jiwa and Jivan are the first brothers to play for Malaysia in the
Junior World Cup history. While Jiwa is an all-rounder, Jivan is good in
midfield," said juniors coach Yahya Atan in Port Dickson yesterday.
"I started playing hockey in Standard One and my brother (Jivan) used to
tag along until he got `hooked' three years later. And since then, we have
been training and playing together but when there is a selection, weather
at School, State or Junior League level, we try to outdo each other.
"But so far, I can't seem to shake Jivan off my back!," said Jiwan.
And silently encouraging this brotherly competition from the sidelines
is father Y. Mohan, 42, and mother Chua Cheok Kooy, 40.
"My father, a bus conductor in Bukit Mertajam, played a major role in
our development as hockey players. He used to ferry us to the Bertam
Sports Complex near Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, so that we would
not be left behind on the game," said Jivan.
"We are truly indebted to him and are in the World Cup squad today
because of his tireless efforts to keep pushing us to the limit even when
we almost gave up because state-level competition in penang was very
keen," said Jiwan.
Jivan is the timid one while big brother Jiwan likes to bully him around
when they are in a group. But on the pitch, they are known to shed their
playful image and don't tolerate mistakes made by the other.
The other member of the family is only five-years-old but has shown keen
interst in hockey.
When asked weather they will encourage their youngest brother to take up
the sport: "No way!," was their loud and synchronised reply.
"We would rather he played golf and become famous like Tiger Woods,"
said Jivan.
One never really knows when the brothers are serious or when they are
joking but, hockey's lost could one day become become golf's gain.
(END)