Sam Chong wins ‘Comeback Athlete’ award

PETALING JAYA: Former Asian snooker champion Sam Chong ( pic) was named THESAM-100PLUS-KBS “Comeback Athlete” for 2011 by the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM).

The 49-year-old veteran made a successful return to the game after an absence of nine years. Sam Chong beat the odds to win the 2011 SEA Games gold medal in Jakarta together with national number one player Thor Chuan Leong in the men’s doubles event. At the Laos SEA Games in 2009, Sam Chong was the coach of the Malaysian snooker team.

Sam, will receive the award during the award ceremony at the Petaling Jaya Hilton on Sunday.

The snooker king was the first Malaysian to become Asian champion in 1990 and was once ranked in the top 100 of the professional circuit of the World Snooker Association. In 1996, Sam Chong won the “Sportswriters (SAM) Award of the Year”.

On Monday, world junior badminton champion Zulfadli Zulkifli was named “Best Young Athlete” for 2011.

The highlight of the ceremony will be the “Athlete of the Year 2011” award.

A total of 11 nominees were selected. Five were shortlisted with the winner for each category selected by SAM members.

The five shortlisted nominees will receive RM1,000 each while the winner takes home RM10,000 and a crystal trophy.

The 11 nominees are Lee Chongwei (badminton), Datuk Nicol David (squash), Pandelela Rinong (diving), Fatehah Mustapha and Ju Pha Som Net (cycling), Nur Suryani Taibi (shooting), Jacqueline Jenelee and Adrian Ang (bowling), Aaliyah Yoong (water-ski), Kevan Cheah (wushu) and the men’s recurve team (archery).

This year, SAM have also introduced two new awards - “Best Comeback Athlete” and “Most Dynamic Association”.

A total of RM45,000 is also up for grabs for SAM members under six categories – best news report (print), best commentary (print), best news report (electronic), best commentary (electronic), best special report (print and electronic) and best photography.

A Grand Overall Award winner will be picked from the six categories and will take home RM7,000 and a crystal trophy.

Each winner of the six categories will receive RM3,000 and a trophy.

All five nominees for each of the six categories will receive RM500 and a medal.