Azlan And Durratun Clinch Top BJSS Honours

KUALA LUMPUR: Shooter Azlan Johari and rhythmic gymnast Durratun Nashihin Rosli claimed the top honours in the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) sports awards ceremony at the Olympic Hall yesterday.

Azlan, who is one of the shooters under the Gemilang 2006 programme, beat four other nominees – Cheng Chu Sian (archery), S. Narendran (athletics), Razlan Rawi (tennis) and Adrian Ang (bowling) – to the Elite male athlete award.

Durratun, who won four gold medals in the Vietnam SEA Games last year, prevailed over G. Shamani (archery), Lenny Marlina Omar (shooting), Loo Sim Fang (wushu) and Khoo Cai Lin (swimming) in the elite female category.

THE BEST AROUND: Winners of the Bukit Jalil Sports School Sports Awards pose with their trophies. The winners are (from left) Bryan-Nickson Lomas (diving), Loo Sim Fang(wushu),Gracie Junita(diving), Durratun Nashihin Rosli(rhythmic gymnastics, S. Aruna(netball)and Azlan Johari(Shooting).-Starpic by LOW BOON TAT

Azlan, who picked up four silver medals in the Asian Junior Championships early this year, expressed surprise at being named the winner.

“All the other nominees were equally good in their sports. I did not expect to be selected. This will spur me on to train harder as I want to make the squad for the SEA Games next year,” said the 17-year-old, who also won two gold medals and two silvers in the Singapore Open this year.

The 16-year-old Durratun was a favourite for the award based on her status as the national No. 1.

She was impressive in international competitions this year – bagging one gold and one silver in the recent Asean Schools Championships. She was also part of the team who won a bronze for the first time in the Asian Championships in China in June.

Sim Fang did not go back empty-handed. The wushu exponent was named the best all-round athlete – an award for excellence in sports and academic studies.

The 17-year-old Sim Fang, who scored 5As in the SPM trials recently, also bagged three gold medals in the Asian Junior Championships this year and in her debut in the SEA Games last year, she won a bronze.

Olympic divers Bryan Nickson and Gracie Junita took the award for the most promising male and female athletes respectively.

THE WINNER

Elite male: Azlan Johari (shooting).

Elite female: Durratun Nashihin Rosli (rhythmic gymnastics).

Promising male: Bryan Nickson (diving).

Promising female: Gracie Junita (diving).

BJSS male: Billy Chen (basketball).

BJSS female: Aruna Santappan (netball).

All-round athlete: Loo Sim Fang (wushu).