Red Bull Female Rookies Drivers Search 2014

The Red Bull Female Rookies Drivers Search 2014 unveiled its first batch of 14 potential drivers on the sideline of the Sepang 1,000km Endurance Race today.Forty enthusiasts attended the ‘by invitation only’ selection process with Hypertune, Shift and MYC! This also includes fans from the Red Bull Facebook page.

Among those selected by four independent judges were Ili Syazana Jamal Azmi, a University of Malaya final-year medical student, Putri Mardiana Zainal Abidin, a single mother with a ‘burning passion’ for motorsports, Daphne Choo Lynn-Wey and Penang-born Jessica Ann Selvadurai.

Red Bull Malaysia Executive Director, Jyn Wee, said these 14 female drivers were selected after a six-hour evaluation process by the independent judges. Personality and interest in motorsports were some of the criteria in picking the right candidates.

“We had initially decided to select only 10 drivers but the judges felt that we increase the number to 14 as some of these candidates had shown the right aptitude, personality and good knowledge of motorsports. They had shown a tremendous interest in the programme,” said Wee, adding that several of them had travelled from as far as Penang and Perak to join the Red Bull Female Rookies Drivers Search for 2014.

“However, all is not lost for those who did not make the grade today. They can still join the Red Bull Female Rookies Drivers Search roadshows throughout the country as we will be inviting 20 more drivers, bringing the total to 34. We hope to complete the process in June,” said Wee.

“This programme is about searching potential drivers for the 2014 Sepang 1,000km Endurance Race. They will undergo training and the programme’s curriculum includes Defensive and Tactical Driving Courses. They will be trained and evaluated by Asia Advanced Driving Academy chief trainer, Kenvin Low,” said Wee.

However, from the 34 candidates, five will be shortlisted for the final phase of training but only two will be selected for next year’s all-female Red Bull Rookies team to compete in the Sepang 1,000km Endurance Race.

Apart from Ili Syazana, Putri Mardiana, Daphne Choo and Jessica, the others selected today are Alydia Ab Wahab, Audrey Tan Poh Yuen, Emilia Nabila Abdul Majeed, Valerie Effendi Atkinson, Kan Kit Po, Imee Nadia Abdul Hadi, Lee Sue Ai, Hazwani Husaain, Nursharina Nor Ramlle and Kang Yue Shern.

“I have been following F1 for a long time and you cannot imagine my passion for motorsports. I had always wanted to race at the Sepang F1 Circuit,” said Ili Syazana. “With this opportunity knocking on my door, I hope to go all the way to be the next Red Bull Female Rookie Driver,” added the 23-year-old, who graduates in April next year.

Red Bull Rookies programme was initiated in 2008 based on the Red Bull Female Driver Search 2007. In 2009, the Red Bull Female Driver Search conducted road shows on a nationwide scale, leading to official formation as well as participation of the Red Bull Rookies Team at the inaugural Sepang 1,000

SUNTIKAN FELDA BUAT PEMAIN HOKI REMAJA KEBANGSAAN

Pasukan hoki remaja kebangsaan menerima suntikan menjelang Piala Dunia Remaja bulan depan menerusi tajaan Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (FELDA).

FELDA tampil sebagai penaja pasukan kebangsaan dengan sumbangan RM500,000 bagi Piala Dunia Remaja yang bakal dilangsungkan mulai 6-15 Disember di Stadium Hoki Major Dhyan Chand di New Delhi, India, manakala pakaian rasmi pasukan ditaja oleh Kuckreja & Co.

Pengarah Besar FELDA, Datuk Faizoull Ahmad menyampaikan cek bernilai RM500,000 kepada Presiden MHC, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah pada majlis penyampaian penajaan di Hotel Royale Chulan di Kuala Lumpur. Majlis itu turut disaksikan oleh pegawai-pegawai teratas FELDA, MHC dan anggota pasukan remaja kebangsaan.

“FELDA berbangga untuk menjadi penaja buat pasukan remaja kebangsaan. Jumlah itu mungkin tidak banyak tetapi ia adalah tanggungjawab sosial kami untuk menyaksikan pasukan kebangsaan bersedia sepenuhnya untuk menghadapi Piala Dunia Remaja. Kami akan melakukan segala-galanya untuk memastikan misi ini tercapai,” kata Datuk Faizoull pada sidang akhbar untuk mengumumkan penajaan FELDA.

“Ia adalah harapan kami bahawa pasukan remaja kebangsaan beraksi menentang pasukan terbaik dunia dan pemain membanggakan negara dalam Piala Dunia Remaja. Piala Dunia Remaja adalah acara berprestij dan FELDA menyokong penuh perkembangan pasukan hoki di peringkat tempatan dan antarabangsa,” tambah Datuk Faizoull.

Pada majlis itu, MHC turut menyampaikan insentif wang tunai kepada pasukan remaja kebangsaan atas persembahan menggalakkan mereka pada Piala Sultan Johor di Johor Bahru. Malaysia seri 3-3 menentang India pada perlawanan kumpulan begitu pun tewas 3-0 pada pasukan sama dalam  final.

Tengku Abdullah berkata penajaan FELDA adalah suntikan yang hadir tepat pada masanya dan memuji usaha agensi kerajaan yang diasaskan untuk membantu dalam penempatan semula golongan miskin luar bandar ke kawasan yang dibangunkan tetapi kini meluaskan kepada pelbagai aktiviti pembangunan dan perniagaan.

“Bagi pihak MHC, saya mahu mengucapkan terima kasih kepada FELDA dan FGV atas sokongan berterusan dalam perkembangan sukan hoki dalam negara ini. Penajaan ini melambangkan komitmen, kepercayaan dan keyakinan mereka dalam pasukan remaja kebangsaan,” kata Tengku Abdullah sambil menambah bahawa MHC sudah mengubah sasaran empat teratas kepada enam teratas buat pasukan remaja yang berada dalam kemampuan mereka pada Piala Dunia Remaja yang menampilkan 16 pasukan.

“Kami mahu lebih banyak badan korporat, terutamanya daripada sektor swasta tampil ke depan dan menyokong pasukan kebangsaan dan komitmen MHC terhadap penstrukturan program hoki bagi meningkatkan mutu permainan dalam negara.”

Jurulatih pasukan remaja, K. Dharmaraj dan pengurus pasukan, Mirnawan Nawawi sudah menamakan 18 pemain bagi Piala Dunia Remaja termasuk ketua pasukan, Fitri Saari, Firhan Ashaari, Faiz Helmi Jali, Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin, Meor Azuan dan Rashid Baharom yang berpengalaman beraksi di peringkat senior, G. Kavin Kartikdan muka baru Joel Samuel Van Huizen.

Kavin, 21, adalah pemain negara yang kedua untuk bermain dalam dua Piala Dunia Remaja selepas penampilan pertahanan M. Devendran yang beraksi pada edisi Vancouver 1985 dan Ipoh 1989.

Kemasukan Joel pula menandakan kesinambungan legasi keluarga Van Huizen dalam melahirkan pemain hoki buat negara selepas datuk Joel iaitu Lawrence dan ayahnya Stephen, turut mewakili Malaysia pada Piala Dunia dan Olimpik.

Malaysia diundi dalam Kumpulan D bersama-sama New Zealand, England dan Afrika Selatan. Mereka membuka kempen menentang New Zealand pada 6 Disember, kemudian berdepan Afrika Selatan pada 8 Disember dan akhirnya England (9 Dis). Anak buah Dharmaraj perlu menamatkan saingan dalam kelompok dua teratas untuk melayakkan diri ke suku akhir.

New Zealand menamatkan cabaran di tangga keempat pada Piala Dunia Remaja 2009 di  Johor Bahru, manakala Malaysia berada di tempat ke-12 dalam saingan 20 pasukan apabila ditewaskan 3-2 oleh Belgium dalam perlawanan klasifikasi.

Pasukan kebangsaan akan berangkat ke New Delhi pada 1 Disember dan akan mengambil bahagian dalam perlawanan persahabatan menentang Jerman pada 3 Disember sebagai pemanas badan terakhir.

Skuad - Hazrul Faiz Ahmad Sobri (penjaga gol), Hafizuddin Othman (penjaga gol), Firhan Ashaari, Fitri Saari (kapt), Rashid Baharom, G. Kavin Kartik, Syamim Yusof, Shazril Irwan Nazli, Meor Azuan, Haziq Samsul, Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin, Azri Hassan, Zulhairi Hashim, Faiz Helmi Jali, Shahril Saabah, Joel Samuel van Huizen, Nor Aqmal Abdul Ghaffar dan Hafiz Zainol.

JEYSING MUTHIAH APPOINTED AS MYANMAR PRO-LEAGUE CEO

Every year, multi-talented Malaysian football administrators are being wooed by foreign clubs and nations to chart their fortunes. Such brain-drainage of Malaysians with technical skills and knowledge simply has no ending.

This is not only a big loss to the nation in terms of human capital, but indeed a tragic one. Tragic because while their ‘expertise’ is well recognised and capitalised on by foreign nations local football governing bodies at state and national levels seems to have turned a blind eye on them.

Three Malaysians have so far made the exodus before this and now 51-year-old Jeysing Gnana Kannu Muthiah, a former physical education lecturer in local universities-turned FIFA administrator, joins the growing list of those ‘lured’ for their  best knowledge of the game’.

A father of three teenage girls, Jeysing will take up the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Myanmar Professional League which has been in existence since 2009.

It seems, the Myanmar FA, just knows ‘where and who’ to pick as the best brains to turn their football fortunes around by having at the helm of a professional league someone far-refined on the international scene.

Prior to this, Malaysians have seen Windsor Paul John appointed as Deputy General-Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, Kelly Sathiraj the former Football  Association of Malaysia Assistant General Secretary moved to AFC, Former MSL CEO Stuart Ramalingam also with AFC. And then, there’s Mohammed Saifuddin Abu Bakar who is now the Technical Consultant of Competitions and Pro League with Oman FA and Michelle Chai who is working in UAE. 

While it cannot be denied that ‘good perks’ are an added motivational factor, the fact remains clear that Malaysian-born football administrators are well sought after in the Asian  market.Jeysing holds a diploma in sports psychology, degree in physical education (University Putra Malaysia) and masters in management from the International Islamic University Malaysia.

A keen athlete himself, having excelled in athletics, swimming and football in his younger days, Jeysing has been a FIFA Coordinator for several international tournaments over the years. He last posting was as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Consultant for the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup held in Thailand.

Though it is sad to see several Malaysians leaving our shores for long-term assignments, they have nevertheless done us proud as Malaysians. We are proud of you too, Jeysing!

All the Best!

THAILAND DO THE EXPECTED

As expected, Thailand registered straight set wins over Japan and Germany in their opening Group B matches at ISTAF SuperSeries MALAYSIA 2013/14, taking only a total of 42  minutes to finish off their opponents.

 

Despite giving three new players their first shot at international action, the second seeds only needed 24 minutes to defeat Japan 15-2, 15-9 in their first match and 18 minutes to overcome Germany 15-1, 15-3 in their second at the Likas Sports Complex here.

Coach Somporn Sanyabut, who is keeping star tekong Siriwat Sakha and striker Pornchai Kaokaew for the SEA Games in December, took the opportunity to give Panupong Petlue, Treepong Rawangai and Tanawat Chumsena a taste of the big times.

“I am satisfied with the way my three new players combined with Rattadech Noijaroen and Anuwat Chaichana,” he said. “They were part of the winning Asean University Games team in Laos last year, so I was confident in their abilities.”

Thailand, who won ISTAF SuperSeries THAILAND 2013/14 in September, is grouped together with Japan, Singapore, Brunei and Germany. Group A has top seeds Malaysia, Iran, India and Indonesia.

In the women’s competition, top seeds and defending champions Thailand were given a scare by unseeded Japan before defeating them 15-10, 15-8 in their opening Group B match. Coach Veeras Na Nongkhai, who used all five of his players, was however satisfied with the outcome despite his charges’ slow start in both sets.

“I am trying out different combinations to get the best possible team for the upcoming SEA Games,” he said. “But we were overconfident as we thought the Japanese would be easy to beat, and that’s why we struggled early on in both sets.”

In Group A, Vietnam and Malaysia were each awarded automatic 2-0 walkover wins over Korea after the team failed to show up due to player injury and technical difficulties.

ISTAF SuperSeries Malaysia, October 31-November 3, is the third and final leg of ISTAF SuperSeries 2013/14. The ISTAF SuperSeries Final is scheduled to be held February 13-16 next year in Kuala Lumpur.

The ISTAF SuperSeries platform is created by Asia Sports Ventures (ASV) – the International Sepaktakraw Federation’s (ISTAF) exclusive global commercial and development partner. The Malaysian leg is supported by Persatuan Sepaktakraw Malaysia (PSM).

 Results

ISTAF SuperSeries MALAYSIA 2013/14

October 31

Men’s competition

Group A: Malaysia bt Iran 2-0 (15-8, 15-4); Indonesia bt India 2-0 (15-7, 15-10); Indonesia bt Iran 2-0 (15-2, 15-7)

Group B: Thailand bt Japan 2-0 (15-2, 15-9); Singapore bt Brunei 2-1 (8-15, 16-14, 15-13); Thailand bt Germany 2-0 (15-1, 15-3)

Women’s competition

Group A: Vietnam w/o Korea 2-0; Malaysia w/o Korea 2-0

Group B: Thailand bt Japan 2-0 (15-10, 15-8)