Nazreen, Siew Hui Named Sportsboy, Sportsgirl for 2013

BY MERVIN MENON

Mohd Nazreen Abdullah and Yap Siew Hui with their MOE-MSSM-Milo Sports Awards.

PUTRAJAYA: It was a day to remember for aquatics when diver Mohd Nazreen Abdullah and swimmer Yap Siew Hui were named the National Sportsboy and Sportsgirl respectively at the Education Ministry (MOE)-Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM)-Milo Sports Awards 2013.

The duo received their awards from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at a leading hotel here on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old Nazreen was rewarded for his outstanding performances in local and overseas competitions, including bagging two gold medals in the 10m synchronised diving and 10m platform at the fifth Asian Diving Cup in Singapore. He also took part in the second Asian Youth Games in Nanjing and the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney.

Nazreen was delighted with the award and hopes to continue to excel in the sport.

Siew Hui, also 16, won four gold medals last year – two each in the 50m and 100m butterfly events at the third Islamic World Solidarity Games in Palembang, Indonesia, and the 37th SEA Age Group Swimming Championships in Brunei. She was also a member of the bronze-medal winning team in the 4x100m medley relay event in the Myanmar SEA Games.

“I’m very happy and excited to have received this award ... actually, it was totally unexpected,” said Siew Hui.

“Next week, there is the MSSM competition. As for international events, there are the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year. I need to push myself harder in training so that I can qualify for these two major events.”

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, was full of praise for the winners.

“I would like to congratulate each and every one of the award winners for their stellar performances in 2013,” he said.

“I am sure that the nation is looking forward to seeing them representing us on a grander stage one day. I hope that the efforts from Milo and MSSM will inspire our youths to go further in their sports careers as well as in their lives.”

Roll of Honour

NATIONAL AWARD

Sportsboy: Mohd Nazreen Abdullah (diving)

Sportsgirl: Yap Siew Hui (swimming)

MOST PROMISING AWARD

Boy: Mohd Hafiz Zhafri Abdul Harif (squash)

Girl: Amisha Sofia Azli (rhythmic gymnastics)

SPECIAL AWARD

Boy: Nur Muhammad Izham Mazwi (shooting)

Girl: Phoon Eyin (wushu)

SPECIAL EDUCATION AWARD

Boy: Mohd Solehuddin Azizan (Paragames track and field)

Girl: Nurul Nadia Latif (Paragames track and field)

SPORTS LEADERSHIP AWARD

Tan Sri Abdul Ghafar Mahmud

DEDICATED TEACHER AWARD

The late Na’aman Mohd Shah (track and field)

Chee Shin Lian (table tennis)