Rafiq-Azizul to battle it out again for nation’s top gong

PETALING JAYA: Bowler Rafiq Ismail and track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang will go head-to-head once more – this time for the National Sportsman of the Year trophy at the 2018 National Sports Award tonight.

The event, to be graced by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, will be held at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Just a fortnight ago, Rafiq, 21, pipped Azizulhasni, 31, to the 2018 Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100PLUS Best Athlete award.

And Rafiq will be hoping to deny Azizulhasni again for the nation’s top award.

Rafiq, who has been nominated for five times in the past, seek to become the first men’s bowler to win the award since Michael Chuah in 1984.

What Rafiq achieved last year had been nothing short of spectacular.

He was the nation first men’s Masters gold medallist at the Asian Games in Indonesia and also ended Malaysia’s 39-year wait for a gold medal at the world meet in Hong Kong when he won the singles event.

Rafiq also teamed up with Timmy Tan and Ahmad Muaz Fishol to win silver in the trios at the Asiad.

Azizulhasni, on the other hand, is eyeing the award for the second straight year and fourth overall. The two other times he claimed the gong were in 2009 and 2010,

The 2017 keirin world champion underlined his credentials by clinching three medals at the Asian Games, highlighted by his victory in the individual sprint event.

The Pocket Rocketman also bagged a silver and a bronze in the team sprint and keirin.

Also in the running are world bodybuilding champion Mohd Syarul Azman Mahen Abdullah; Asian Games gold medal-winning sailor Muhd Fauzi Kamanshah and Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (squash).

Rhythmic gymnast Amy Kwan is the favourite to bag the National Sportswoman of the Year award thanks to her quadruple medal-winning feat at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games which included a gold in the ribbon.

She faces competition from the likes of Tan Li Lian (bodybuilding), Siti Zalina Ahmad (lawn bowls), Goh Jin Wei (badminton), Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman (bowling) and S. Sivasangari (squash).

If Amy wins, she will become the first-ever gymnast – male or female – to land the top award.

The other nine awards up for grabs are best male and female team, best male and female Paralympian, best male and female coach, sports leadership, special award and sports figure.