There's Wind In Nur Amirah's Sails
Published on Sunday, 17 November 2013 19:19
LASER-class sailor Nur Amirah Hamid seen here at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in China in October, wants to win the SEA Games gold medal in Myanmar next month, having won the bronze on her debut at the 2011 Games./Pic:StarPETALING JAYA: A bronze medal showing in her SEA Games debut in Palembang, Indonesia, in 2011 has made sailor Nur Amirah Hamid hunger for success that much more.
This time, she will go for broke when she takes to the Ngwe Saung Beach in Pathein, Myanmar, in a bid to capture the gold in the women's laser radial class when the sailing competition takes place from Dec 13-20.
In the 2011 edition, Amirah took the bronze behind Singapore's Victoria Chan (gold) and Thailand's Kamolwan Chanyim (silver).
"I want to win the gold. After Palembang, I knew that I had it within me to do better. And I've got my chance to prove myself once again, so I want to make it count," said Amirah, who will be competing in only her second SEA Games.
Amirah, who hails from Lumut, Perak, started sailing at age 11 in the optimist category before switching to the laser radial class at the age of 16.
She counts her father, Hamid Hj Mohd Amin, a captain with the Royal Malaysian Navy as her "rock" and is banking on winning the gold in Myanmar to get a leg up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
However, this time, the 20-year-old will face stiff competition from Singapore Olympian Elizabeth Yin, currently ranked 31st in the world.
"Elizabeth is the biggest threat. She competed in the Olympics last year, so she's definitely the one to beat. Kamolwan is also competing this year. We're roughly around the same standard, but I think I can take her," said Amirah.
"My strength is in sailing middle wind (eight to 10 knots) and I've just got to play to my strength, knuckle down and focus. The waves in Myanmar are big and I got a taste of that in China three weeks ago. So, I'm definitely ready for it," added Amirah who finished 14th at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Qingdao, China last month.
Team manager Mohd Affendy Abdullah is confident his charges can deliver five to six medals in total with no less than three of them being gold, to improve on their 2011 haul of one silver and three bronze.
In April, during the 2013 Myanmar Open Sailing Championships (pre-SEA Games competition) at the Ngwe Saung Beach, Malaysia bagged four gold, four silver and three bronze.
While Singapore did not feature in the pre-Games meet, Malaysia's top sailors including team captain Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy (laser standard), Amirah, Khairunnisa Mohd Afendy and Nurasyikin Mohd Sayed (International 470 women), Ku Anas Ku Zamil and Muhammad Haffizuddin Mazelan (International 470 men), Mohd Faizal Norizan and Ahmad Shukri Abdul Aziz (International 420 men); and Nur Aisyah Mohd Jamil and Noor Wahida Sallahuddin (International 420 women) were also absent.
However, this time, it will be all hands on deck for Malaysia and Affendy is confident his charges will be up to the task to deliver the goods.
"Singapore will be our biggest competition, no doubt. They didn't participate in the pre-Games event but they will be bringing their Olympic team this time and so will we," said Affendy.
"Our sailors are capable of beating the Singaporeans. I have faith in the likes of Khairulnizam and Amirah. Plus, we've got new boats and equipment and the team has worked hard for this. I'm confident they can deliver our medal target," he added.
- Star Online
http://www.thestar.com.my/Sport/Other-Sport/2013/11/17/Theres-wind-in-Nur-Amirahs-sails.aspx
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