NSC THE LAST HOPE
NSAM trying to salvage careers of four shooters
THERE is still hope for national shooters dropped from the Podium Programme.
Desperate to salvage the careers of four recently dropped Podium Programme shooters, the National Shooting Association of Malaysia (NSAM) will appeal to the National Sports Council (NSC) to absorb them into the ‘Kita Juara’ Kuala Lumpur Sea Games initiative.
Former World Cup silver medallist Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi, Muslifah Zulkifli, Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim and Mohd Ezuan Nasir Khan were axed from the Podium Programme last month due to poor form.
The applications of Olympian Johnathan Wong and double trap shooter Benjamin Khor for inclusion were also rejected.
Jonathan is under the ‘Kita Juara’ programme but the other five have been left in the lurch.
Except for Benjamin, who finances his equipment and practice, the other four have stopped training since they were dropped from the programme.
NSAM secretary Adam Tee said the five shooters are needed for the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games.
“Their inclusion is crucial as they need to be under a programme in order to prepare for the Sea Games. They have made sacrifices for the nation and we hope they will not be forgotten,” said Adam yesterday.
“The four Podium Programme discards have not been training. They depend on NSC for everything. I hope they will not have to return their rifles to NSC.
“NSC will likely evaluate our request. The four rifle shooters are among the elite in the country and we need them to continue shooting in preparation for the Sea Games in August.”
Nur Suryani, Muslifah, Nur Ayuni and Ezuan were drafted into the Podium Programme last year by virtue of being medallists in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and Glasgow Commonwealth Games, but they failed to live up to expectations in the World Cup series.