STARRY CAST FOR NATIONAL HONOURS
Rafiq, Azizulhasni, and Amy Kwan are top picks
ASTAR-STUDDED cast has been nominated for the 2018 National Sports Awards with bowler Rafiq Ismail, track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang and rhythmic gymnast Amy Kwan among the favourites to challenge for top honours.
The awards, which recognises athletes, coaches and officials for their achievements in 2018, will be held in Kuala Lumpur on April 23.
For the Sportsman of the Year award, Azizulhasni, who won the accolade last year, has again been nominated following his strong showing last year which saw him winning the men's individual sprint at the Indonesia Asian Games as well as bronze and silver in the UCI Track World Cup series.
Rafiq is another strong contender having won the World Championships gold medal in Hong Kong, delivering Malaysia’s first win at the event since 1979. He also won the masters title at the Asian Games.
Also nominated for the award are bodybuilder Syarul Azman Mike Mahen, who won gold at both the Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship and WBPF World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships, sailor Fauzi Kaman Shah and squash player Nafiizwan Adnan.
Leading the cast for the Sportswoman of the Year award, which was won by diver Cheong Jun Hoong last season, is rhythmic gymnast Amy who returned with one gold, one silver and two bronze from last year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Also on the list of nominees are squash player S. Sivasangari, who won silver and bronze from the Asian Games, bodybuilder Tan Li Lian, who took multiple gold medals at the WBPF World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships, as well as lawn bowler Siti Zalina Ahmad and bowler Siti Safiyah Amirah Abd Rahman.
For the Paralympic Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards, sprinters Ridzuan Puzi, who notched a new world and Asian record en route to winning three gold at the Asian Para Games and two gold at the Italian Open, as well as Siti Noor Lasah are the top contenders.
Siti also broke the Asian record en route to winning one gold at the Asian Para Games.
Winners in the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards, for both para and able-bodied categories, will each take home RM20,000.
Other awards up for grabs at the National Sports Awards are the men and women's Team of the Year and Coach of the Year along with the Sports Icon, Sports Leadership and Special awards.