Siew Ai brimming with confidence

28/01/1999

NATIONAL No 1 Lim Siew Ai declared herself ready for a shot at the title
after carding a one-under 72 in the pro-am of the Kosaido-DRB-Hicom
Malaysian Open women's championship at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club
yesterday.
"I am in great shape and looking forward to tomorrow (today). My aim is
to win the title this year."
Siew Ai is no stranger to the Open. In 1992, she was the top amateur.
Now, she feels she can stop the trophy from leaving our shores.
Big names like South Korea's Chung II Mi, who topped the 1998 Order of
Merit, don't frighten her.
"She is the early favourite but the tag will only add pressure to her
game. On the other hand, I have nothing to prove," said Siew Ai.
* THE PGA of Malaysia (MPGA) will be holding pro trials at the Serendah
Golf Resort on Feb 9-12.
The first stage will comprise a practice round followed by three rounds
of pre-qualifying.
Players will only lose their amateur status if they are successful in
Stage One and subsequently apply to enter the Final Qualifying Round. They
will not lose their amateur status if they decide not to enter the final.
Entries close on Feb 6 and forms are available at most clubs or from the
MPGA office at 1B Jalan Mamanda 7, Ampang Point, Ampang. Call 03-4573318
for information.
(END)

TTAM outline three-year plan

24/01/1999

THE TTA of Malaysia have submitted a three-year blueprint to the National
Sports Council (NSC) and high on the list are three gold medals from the
Brunei Sea Games.
It might be a tall order for the paddlers but a comprehensive training
programme, which includes a five-month playing stint in Spain, has been
drawn up with NSC's blessing.
"NSC responded favourably to our programme and have made a few
suggestions, among which is a clean sweep of six golds at the KL Sea Games
in 2001," said TTAM president Datuk Chan Kong Choy yesterday.
Malaysia last won a gold at the 1991 Sea Games in Manila through the
women's doubles and two bronze medals in the men's doubles and team event
at the 1997 Games in Jakarta.
"Back in the 70s, our players were among the best in South-East Asia but
in the 80s, even the Indonesians overtook us in the gold count. We found
that the Indonesians have been sending their players to Europe to learn
the ropes and that was why they improved so much.
"TTAM have agreed to send our No 1, Chan Koon Wah, to play in the
Spanish League to improve his skills and break his capability barrier. We
will pay his airfare while a sponsor will take care of his food and
lodging for five months," said the president.
NSC are also trying to rope in two players from China who have
represented Malaysia as guest players in a few international tournaments
where they did exceptionally well.
Liu Junhui, a Chinese national, won the South-East Asian championship
singles gold in Bangkok last month. Junhui beat Malaysian teammate Eng
Tian Syh in the final.
The other Chinese national is Yao Lingjing, who combined with Zhang Ling
to help Malaysia bag a gold in the women's doubles.
Junhui is a regular in the Spanish League and it is said he will help
Koon Wah to establish himself in Spain and prepare for the Brunei Sea
Games.
"We have decided the local players must take part in as many
professional tour Opens this year to improve on their ITTF rankings.
"If the players manage to improve their world rankings, they will get a
better draw in the Sea Games. We have suggested to send paddlers to the
Asia Top 12 in Iran (March 1-3), English Open (March 11-14) and Lebanon
Open (June 3-6) to form a base for the Sea Games.
"We plan to send at least two players to each Open pending on the
availibility of funds from the NSC and our sponsors," said Chan.
TTAM are serious in improving their image in the Sea Games and have
hired two Chinese coaches Zhang Ling and Su Wenzhi to achieve their
target.
(END)

Russians confirm Le Tour entry

22/01/1999

THE Russians are coming for Le Tour de Langkawi. And their star attraction
is Alexei Markov, last year's silver medallist at the world track
championships in France.
Tour organisers First Cartel confirmed this yesterday after receicing
the Russians' team list.
There was initial fears that Russia would not join the Tour.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) rank the Russians eighth in their
list followed by Denmark, Kazakhstan and Australia in ninth, 11th and 12th
places respectively.
The other teams who have confirmed their entries are Britain (ranked
19), New Zealand (27), South Africa (29), Ireland (50), Canada (28), Japan
(40), China (67) and Philippines (30).
Markov, 21, has had a string of top-three finishes on the world circuit
in the past few years and his strong starts would definitely place the
Russians among the favourites.
Malaysia are currently ranked 69th by the UCI based on results at last
year's Le Tour, the Tour of Taiwan, Tour of Philippines, Tour of Morocco
and Tour of Japan.
While the European teams will be battling for the overall title,
Malaysia will vie for the East Asian trophy, which is about 20 per cent of
the total prize money of RM1.5 million in the upgraded Tour starting with
a time trial in Langkawi on Feb 3.
Among Malaysia's main rivals for the Trophy are China, Philippines,
Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.
Malaysia were neck-and-neck with the Filipinos and Chinese throughout
the last Tour but dropped back in the final stages of the race.
Italy's Mapei Quick Step will be the first team to arrive from Europe on
Wednesday to acclimatise.
Most of the other European teams are also scheduled to arrive by Jan 30.
The Russian team: Alexei Markov, Vladislav Borissov, Serguei Klimov,
Vladimir Karpets, Soultan Allakhiarov, Dmitri Koudriavtsev.
(END)

Open ticket to Europe

22/01/1999

THERE is more than the prize money at stake in next month's Malaysian Open
championship - at least for Asian golfers.
The reason? Any Asian player who wins the tournament will get a two-year
exemption to the European PGA Tour.
He will receive playing rights for the remainder of the 1999 season and
bypass the gruelling qualifying school for 2000 and 2001.
The US$750,000 Malaysian Open will be held at the Saujana Golf and
Country Club on Feb 4-7.
"The chance of playing on the European Tour for two years is a huge
incentive for our players to try their best," said Asian PGA executive
director Ramlan Harun yesterday.
"There are a number of ambitious players in Asia who would love to
compete regularly in Europe and a win at the Malaysian Open would give
them that opportunity."
Asian players have had chances to qualify for the European Tour by
winning certain events but this is the first time that Asians will have a
shot at glory in one tournament in this region.
The leading Asian players are Kang Wook-Soon of South Korea, the top
money winner on last year's Asian PGA circuit, and Japanese Tour regulars
Frankie Minoza of the Philippines and Myanmar's Zaw Moe.
China's No 1 Zhang Lianwei and Thai stars Pryad Marksaeng and Chawalit
Plaphol are also capable of overcoming the cream of European players to
win the dream slot.
Lee Westwood, winner of seven titles last year and tipped as a future
world No 1, and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, successful in the end-
of-season Volvo Masters, will lead the challenge from Europe.
Asian PGA Tour graduate Jeev Milka Singh of India made a great start to
the 1999 season with a joint third finish at the season opening South
African PGA and will be very comfortable at his old camping ground in
Saujana.
Milka, winner of three titles on the Asian Tour, earned just under
STG60,000 on his first year on the European Tour. He still competes in
Asia and finished runnerup in the Hero Honda Masters as well as the
Thailand Open.
Asian PGA stalwarts Fran Quinn of the United States and South African
Nico van Rensburg, who finished in the top 10 bracket in the South African
PGA, have also confirmed their entries.
(END)

Yahya's the man until NSC-MHF decide on pair

21/01/1999

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have yet to endorse his appointment
as national coach but it looks like Yahya Atan will have to cut short his
Hari Raya holidays today.
While the MHF and the National Sports Council play cat-and-mouse, 50
national trainees will begin their centralised training at the National
Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Team manager R. Yogeswaran confirmed that Yahya will be at the stadium
to put the players through their paces today.
"Since MHF and NSC have yet to come to terms on the national coach for
the seniors, it looks like Yahya will have to play the role," said
Yogeswaran.
Twenty-four senior players are down for the Five-Nation tournament in
Egypt on Feb 2 while the Project 2001 players will head for Perth a day
later on a playing tour.
With time running out for both the teams, and the MHF-NSC meetings
heading nowhere, Yahya has been thrust into the limelight.
After much dithering by MHF and NSC, Stephen van Huizen and Colin sta
Maria, whose contracts with the national squads ended after the Asian
Games, were told to go back to work last week.
"Like it or not, the situation is such that Yahya is the best man and I
am prepared to assist and make his workload lighter," said Yogeswaran, a
former national coach.
Although NSC were willing to hire van Huizen and sta Maria as part-time
coaches, meetings with their employers Bank of Commerce, were
inconclusive.
Yahya, who works with Risda, had no such problems.
On the three players who are contemplating skipping the Egypt and Dubai
tours because of studies, Yogeswaran sees this as a blessing in disguise.
He said their absence could open the door to the Project 2001 players
who are touring with the seniors.
"By the time the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup begins in April, we should have
the best possible national team out of the 50 trainees," said Yogeswaran.
The possible absentees are Mirnawan Nawawi, Maninderjit Singh and K.
Keevan Raj.
"The MHF made a wise move when they decided to allow overlapping between
the senior and junior teams. With this move, the problem of player
shortages no longer exists. We have a big pool to choose from."
(END)