KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (NNN-Bernama) — Newly appointed Malaysia’s deputy chef de mission for the Phnom Penh 2023 SEA Games, Shalin Zulkifli is optimistic that she will get the full trust of Malaysian athletes going for the biennial multi-sport event, starting from May 5 to 17.
The former bowling queen said she and former national women’s squash player Sharon Wee could make the national contingent feel more comfortable in their search for glory as both of them had experienced the trials and tribulations of a top athlete before.
“Sometimes athletes find it difficult to trust others but with those who have gone through it all themselves, they are more at ease and open,” she told reporters here.
Shalin said this soon after she and Sharon were named as deputy chefs de mission by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) yesterday.
The five-time national sportswoman award winner believed she and Sharon could share valuable tips with the national contingent, especially the younger athletes.
“Actually, they (younger athletes) are the back-up squad for the SEA Games, so it is important to instil in them the spirit of patriotism. I find that they have the skills but lack the finishing touch, so I hope to be able to share my experience together with Sharon,” she added.
In another development, OCM president Mohamad Norza Zakaria wants more sports bodies to step up and earn the five-star rating for quality sports management in the future.
Last September, five national sports bodies, namely the Football Association of Malaysia, Malaysian Hockey Confederation, Malaysian Wushu Federation, Badminton Association of Malaysia and Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia, were awarded five-star status at the National Sports Associations Star Rating Award 2021 ceremony organised by the Malaysian Sports Commissioner’s Office (PJS) and the National Sports Council.
“PJS has its way of evaluating and awarding points to them, so I hope more sports bodies will enhance their governance and financial management to produce more star quality associations,” he added.
— NNN-BERNAMA