Chong Wei bags second SAM top athlete award

KUALA LUMPUR: World number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei was crowned Sportswriters Association of Malaysia ( SAM100 PLUS 2016) Sportsman of the Year on Thursday in a glittering ceremony.

The 3 4 - year- old Olympic silver medallist beat six other nominees namely Pandelela Rinong- Cheong Jun Hoong (diving), Goh V Shem/ Tan Wee Kiong (badminton) and Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying ( badminton) to clinch the award.

Al s o no m i n a t e d we r e national track cycling sensation Azizulhasni Awang, three-time world silat champion Mohd AlJufferi Jamari and national Moto3 rider Khairul Idham Pawi.

The victory was the second for Chong Wei who had won the same award on 2008.

Among the achievements of Chong Wei in 2016 was clinching the silver medal in the men’s badminton singles in the Rio Olympics.

He also regained his ranking as the men’s singles world number one and winning his sixth Indonesian Open title after coming back from an eight-month suspension for using a banned substance.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi was voted Best Paralympic Athlete after his historic feat in winning the country’s first Paralympic gold medal in the men’s 100m T36 event at the Rio Paralympic Games.

In the same year, the Perlis-born athlete also won gold medals at the 5th China Open International Paralympic Committee ( IPC) Athletics Championship and IPC Athletics Asia- Oceania Championship.

Chong Wei and Ridzuan each received a trophy and RM10,000 cash presented by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Rising diving star Nur Dhabitah Sabri was chosen as the recipient of the Best Young Athlete Award for displaying excel lent and consistent performances to enter the final of the women’s 10m platform in Rio.

The National Silat Federation ( Pesaka) was selected as the recipient of the Dynamic Sports Association Award based on the success of its athletes in winning medals at every championship and for its credible leadership and determination in improving the quality of silat in the country.

At the award ceremony, Megat Syafique Syazwan Mohd Khairul, a student of Bukit Jalil Sports School, was chosen as the Best Player in the Education Ministry Football League for 2016. — Bernama