Hope of The Malaysian Olympic Debutants

WAN KHALMIZAM WAN ABDUL AZIZ (Archery)

Age: 21

Disciplines: Individual and team recurve

World ranking: 29

Career highlights: Finishing third in the Asian Championships to hand Malaysia the full quota for the team event in the Olympics.

Previous multi-Games experience: 2005 Manila SEA Games; 2006 Doha Asian Games, 2007 Korat SEA Games

BEIJING HOPES: I never thought I would take part in the Olympics when I first took up archery. I only took up the sport because I was not good in tennis and was looking at a sport that I could excel in. Although I reached the last eight in the World Cup leg in Croatia this year, I think we have a better chance of doing well in the team event.

WONG MEW CHOO (Badminton)

Age: 25

Discipline: Women’s singles

World ranking: 9 Career highlights: Winning the 2007 China Open title

Previous multi-Games experience: 2003 Vietnam SEA Games; 2005 Manila SEA Games; 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games; 2006 Doha Asian Games

BEIJING HOPES: Winning my first Open title in China last year was great but the Olympics is a different level altogether. I will go into the Games with no expectation but try to focus on the task and take each round as it comes.

AZIZUL HASNI AWANG (Cycling)

Age: 20

Disciplines: Track (Individual keirin, Individual 200m sprint and team sprint)

World ranking: 19

Career highlights: Becoming the first Malaysian cyclist to win two gold medals in the senior ranks of the Asian Championships in Japan in April.

Previous multi-Games experience: 2007 Korat SEA Games

BEIJING HOPES: I am deeply honoured to be the flag bearer for the Malaysian contingent. To win an Olympic medal will be like a wildest dream come true but if a chance comes my way, I will grab it.

PANDELELA RINONG (Diving)

Age: 15

Discipline: Women’s individual 10m platform

World ranking: None

Career highlights: Winning a gold in her first outing in the SEA Games in Korat last year Previous multi-Games experience: 2007 Korat SEA Games

BEIJING HOPES: I never thought I would qualify for the Olympics because of my limited experience in diving. I will try my best not to disappoint my coach and everyone back home.

CHE CHEW CHAN (Taekwondo)

Age: 26

Discipline: Women’s over 67kg

World ranking: None

Career highlights: Winning the Asian qualifiers in Vietnam last year to qualify for the Olympics

Previous multi-Games experience: 2001 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games; 2002 Busan Asian Games; 2005 Manila SEA Games; 2007 Korat SEA Games

BEIJING HOPES: My dream is to win a medal and I have been pushing hard in training for the last two years to prepare myself for the Olympic level of competition.

~ by missjewelz on August 12, 2008.