Youngster Aaliyah on the right path to become world champ
PETALING JAYA: Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah is showing signs that she could be the first waterski world champion for Malaysia.
Aaliyah, who is targeted to challenge for the world junior title in 2020 in the Under-17 category, finished second in the girls’ Under-17 jump with a distance of 34.9m in the Florida Inboards Record tournament last weekend.
The 14-year-old Aaliyah, a triple KL SEA Games gold medallist, set a new national record.
Her previous national best was a distance of 32.8m, which she recorded en route to taking gold at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games last year.
Aaliyah also equalled her national mark of 0.5/55/12 in slalom although she eventually only finished fifth.
Additionally, Aaliyah also produced a season best score of 6,960 to finish second in tricks behind American Kennedy Hansen who scored 7,910.
It is some way off her national record of 7,600 but certainly a positive showing as Aaliyah successfully landed a new trick in competition.
“She did well in tricks and the only drawback was she fell in toes so she couldn’t get past 7,600 points,” said Malaysian Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (MWWF) head coach Hanifah Yoong.
The two-week training stint at the Cory Pickos ski site in Florida also paid off for her younger brothers Aiden and Adam.
10-year-old Adam, also a KL SEA Games gold medallist, smashed his national record for the second time this year by scoring a total of 4,750 to win the boys’ Under-13 event.
It was a significant improvement from the 4,430 he achieved during the Latrobe International in Melbourne in March.
The new score is not only a personal best for Adam but it is also a new Asian Under-17 record as well.
Aiden the middle sibling, 12, did not win but he still put up a good showing to finish behind his brother with a new personal best score of 4,030.
The team resumes training at the Santa Rosa Beach for two weeks before heading to Callaway Gardens, Atlanta where Aaliyah is due to compete at the Nautique Waterski US Masters from May 25-27.